By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – With former President Donald Trump expected to be arraigned in Manhattan on Tuesday, there is much to report. But let’s not lose sight of other news that also is occurring both in the political world and among Jewish celebrities.
INTERNATIONAL
Formation of The Jewish Committee to Support “Woman Life Freedom” in Iran (JCWLF)was announced on Friday, March 31, in an effort “to connect the American Jewish community with the Iranian diaspora and to support their struggle for a democratic Iran which respects the rights of its people and is at peace with the world.”
Nineteen founding members of the bipartisan JCLWF include Jason M. Brodsky, former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, William Daroff, former U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, Davina Farahi, Dr. Hiva Feizi, former U.S. Rep. Eric D. Fingerhut, Roya Hakakian, Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan; Hadassah Lieberman; former U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman; Dr. Nazee Moinan; Dr. Steven B. Nasatir; Dr. Sharon S. Nazarian; Ambassador Dennis Ross; James S. Tisch; Dr. Merryl H. Tisch; Ambassador Mark D. Wallace and Tali Farhadian Weinstein.
Hadassah Freilich Lieberman, wife of the former Democratic vice presidential candidate, commented: “As the daughter of Holocaust survivors, the Iranian people’s fight for freedom resonates deeply with me. They are awake to the idea that they are not doomed to live under a repressive, unjust regime. The JCWLF is a tangible way to put our faith into action. Joe and I are awed by the bravery of the Iranian people and proudly support all those fighting for a brighter future.”
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred by telephone on Sunday, April 2, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to demand the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested on charges of spying for the U.S. The State Department issued this statement: “Secretary Blinken conveyed the United States’ grave concern over Russia’s unacceptable detention of a U.S. citizen journalist. Secretary Blinken further urged the Kremlin to immediately release wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan. The Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed the importance of creating an environment that permits diplomatic missions to carry out their work.”
NATIONAL
Elizabeth Holtzman, a former Democratic congresswoman and district attorney from Brooklyn, said Americans should remember that former President Trump was indicted by 23 grand jurors who made up their minds based on evidence presented to them by the Manhattan district attorney’s office. “They made the decision on their own,” she said, adding that in the trial to come, a jury picked by both the prosecution and the defense will also weigh the evidence in a court where strict rules of evidence and procedure will be followed.
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Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former President Donald Trump, said about Trump’s indictment by a Manhattan grand jury: “As an American, it’s very troubling to me to see the leader of the opposition party be indicted. And I think that shows obviously the fear that the Democrats have of Trump and the political strength that he has. And just as a family member, obviously Ivanka and I love him very much. It’s been hard to watch the opponents of him politically continue to break every norm over the last years to try to get him. And you know, we’ve seen them accuse him of colluding with Russia. We saw them impeach him. We saw them raid his home and all this is a continuation of that. But what I will say is that I have been by him in a lot of these instances and it’s only made him stronger and his resolve to take on big challenges to fight for change, to fight for the American people has only gotten stronger…” Kushner’s wife, Ivanka Trump, commented: “I love my father and I love my country. Today, I am pained for both. I appreciate the voices across the political spectrum expressing support and concern.”
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Acting New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who sentenced Allen Weisselberg, the chief executive officer of the Trump Organization, to five months in jail after Weisselberg pleaded guilty to 15 counts of fraud and falsifying business records, was assigned to handle the arraignment Tuesday of former President Donald Trump on charges arising out of hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump on his “Truth Social” website earlier declared that Marchan “hates me,” and suggested he was handpicked by District Attorney Alvin Bragg to preside over the case. However, a spokesperson for the state courts, said Marchan had been randomly selected.
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Democratic party contributor and philanthropist George Soros, responding to charges by former President Trump and other Republican politicians that DA Alvin Bragg is doing Soros’ bidding, commented: “I did not contribute to his campaign and I don’t know him. I think some on the right would rather focus on far-fetched conspiracy theories than on the serious charges against the former President.”
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U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego) introduced a resolution in both houses on Friday, March 31, to celebrate the International Transgender Day of Visibility. Schatz commented that the day is about “celebrating the transgender community around the world – their achievements, their courage, and their right to live authentically and openly. But it is also about raising awareness of the discrimination and violence they still face today. While we have made progress over the years – thanks to the bravery of many transgender leaders – the work for full equality, acceptance, and civil rights protections continues.”
Jacobs amplified in her statement: “I’m so proud to be the sister of a trans brother and a gender non-conforming sibling – and grateful to have watched my siblings grow happier and healthier because they can be their authentic selves. But the rise of anti-trans rhetoric, policies, and violence here at home and around the world seeks to deny their existence and strip them of dignity. That’s why I’m so proud to join Senator Schatz to recognize International Transgender Day of Visibility and stand with trans communities everywhere. We see you, we hear you, and you are perfect just the way you are. We will never stop fighting for you.”
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Adam Frisch, campaigning again for the Colorado congressional seat he almost took away from Rep. Lauren Boebert (D-Colorado) in 2022, writes, “I’ve already been out on the road again, driving across the district in our red pickup truck—with our 17-year-old son Felix, once his homework I finished. Last year we clocked 24,000 miles going from town to town—meeting farmers, ranchers, small business people and everyday people who are just sick and tired of Lauren Bobert’s circus…”
CALIFORNIA
Working in concert with U.S. Rep Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) and former State Senate Republican leader Bob Huff, State Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) has successfully steered through the California Legislature a Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 15) proclaiming January 28 of every year to be Stand Against Hate Action Day. Citing the rise in hate crimes against African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Latin-Americans, Jews, and the LGBTQ community, the measure “denounces hate crimes, hate incidents, and hateful rhetoric against individuals on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity, national origin, age, disability and immigration status.”
Huff and Newman held an event in Irvine on Saturday, April 1, with a bevy of Orange County elected officials and student leaders to publicize the bipartisan resolution. At the event, there were calls for county and city governments to adopt their own versions of the resolution to reinforce the anti-hate movement.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Janessa Goldbeck, a candidate for the Board of Supervisors seat that Nathan Fletcher plans to resign May 15, has been endorsed by former U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (D-San Diego) and former State Sen. Chris Kehoe along with such other Democrats as Congressmembers Mike Levin, Scott Peters, and Juan Vargas; as well as State Senators Toni Atkins, Catherine Blakespear, Caroline Menjivar, and Steve Padilla, and Assembly members Tasha Boerner-Horvath and Chris Ward. Davis commented, “Having served San Diegans as an elected official for 35 years, I have a keen understanding of the qualities required to be an effective leader for our community. I am confident that Janessa Goldbeck possesses these qualities and more. Her passion for service and her commitment to creating a better future for all make her the ideal candidate for the job. I am proud to endorse Janessa Goldbeck for County Supervisor.”
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Former San Diego City Council member Marti Emerald, now serving on the Sweetwater Union High School District board, has endorsed U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) for the U.S. Senate. She has urged Rep. Katie Porter (D-Orange County) to forego running against him and instead run for reelection in a House district that is otherwise vulnerable to being flipped to Republicans.
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The San Diego Union-Tribune, in a lengthy editorial titled “Fletcher’s Stunning Abuse of Power,” compares Fletcher’s career-ending sex scandal to that of former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner: “All of [accuser Grecia] Figueroa’s are concerning, but those that Fletcher groped her after meetings in MTS [Metropolitan Transit System] buildings are especially troubling in a city where the disgusting memories of former San Diego mayor and serial sexual abuser Bob Filner are not even a decade old.”
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Jewish Celebrities
Actress Maude Apatow accidentally ran into an onstage wall during a performance of Little Shop of Horrors, resulting in a concussion. She completed her performance in the off-Broadway production.
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Author Judy Blume, whose novels for children have sold millions of copies and have won numerous awards, has spoken out against citizenship in an interview with Variety. In response to restrictions placed on books by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, she commented: “No child is going to become transgender or gay or lesbian because they read a book. It’s not going to happen. They may say, ‘Oh, this is just like me. This is what I’m feeling and thinking about.’ Or, ‘I’m interested in this because I have friends who may be gay, bi, lesbian.’ They want to know.”
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Singer Neil Diamond, 82, who retired five years ago, told CBS Sunday morning that he has learned to accept the fact that he has Parkinson’s Disease. “…This is the hand that God’s given me, and I have to make the best of it, and so I am. I am.”
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Television’s Bill Maher in his Real Time show on Friday, March 31, quipped that it was ironic that “the most boastful man in history is indicted by a man named Bragg.”
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After winning the suit in which retired optometrist Terry Sanderson sought to blame her for a Park City, Utah, skiing accident, actress Gwyneth Paltrow whispered to Sanderson: “I wish you well.” He responded, “Thank you, dear.” She won $1 and attorney’s fees. He had sought damages of $300,000 for injuries he said he sustained in the accident.
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CBS newswoman Leslie Stahl is taking heat from liberals for interviewing on Sunday’s 60 Minutes U.S. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia). Among critics was actor Bradley Whitford, who played White House Chief of Staff Josh Lyman on the West Wing television series. He commented in a post to Stahl: “You’re legitimizing a ghoul who harasses victims of school shootings … But yeah, you’ll get tons of attention! Not great for a generation traumatized by gun violence. Shame on you!” Many of Stahl’s questions to Greene were adversarial, but critics wonder why 60 Minutes gave Greene a platform in the first place.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor emeritus of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com