Admiration For A Strong Woman

And other things

District Attorney Fani Willis is amazing. I wanted to draw her, but am not with my iPad right now, so did the sketch on my iPhone. I was a fan before the hearing yesterday, but am even more so now.

I watched part of the proceedings in Georgia against the District Attorny Fani Willis, who in an unrelated trial is prosecuting Trump for trying to steal the 2020 election. As far as I’m concerned—and I know I am far from alone in thinking this— this hearing was a completely fabricated effort to discredit Willis with no evidence of any wrongdoing. The allegation states that she became romantically involved with another lawyer just for his money, that she “benefited” from hiring him and seducing him just so he would take her on expensive trips. As a pundit said yesterday on CNN, it is hard to imagine this kind of salcious hearing being conducted against Jack Smith, or another prominent attorney who is a white man. This attack on Willis is sexist and racist in its attempts to corner her into stereotypic assumptions of women and more specifically Black women. I saw some witness testimony, but am reading that Trump’s lawyers are not providing any evidence of impropriety on the part of Willis and her romantic partner, even after two “star” witnesses. Trump is hoping to disqualify her from the Georgia case against him; but so far, there is no proof of impropriety. Willis fought back in the hearing and spoke of her strong independence as a woman, and said, “A man is not a plan.” She took great offense in the allegations, as she should. I would be furious, and I am for her. She showed passion and anger, but kept her cool throughout (for the most part). It is wonderful to see a woman push back so agressively and poignantly.

As Trump does, he is trying to diminish a person, discredit and humiliate someone just through drama, performance and innuendo. It’s not working here, Willis’ testimony was so strong. The allegations Trump has put forward are ridiculous and will probably only “stick” with his core base, who believe absolutely anything he says.

Other news, I was very saddened to hear of the death of vocal Putin critic Aleksei Navalny. He was being held in a Russian prison and was certainly murdered. I find it interesting that conservative commentator and former Fox news host Tucker Carlson was (still is?) in Russia interviewing Putin and visiting grocery stores to show how cheap food is there (most likely not so)— all as PR for Putin and Trump. The West has to shout loudly and clearly that Putin murdered Navalny, show anyone who is considering supporting Trump —and not caring that he is Putin’s puppet— that Putin is a deadly dictator. To know more about Navalny, I recommend the powerful documentary, Navalny, by director Daniel Roher which won the Academy Award last year for best documentary.

Finally, Trump just got slapped with another enormous penalty. From the Washington Post just now: “New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron on Friday ordered former president Donald Trump to pay more than $350 million in penalties, handing down a hefty penalty following a months-long civil trial in which Trump and others were accused of financial fraud by New York Attorney General Letitia James.”

Things are not looking good for Trump. I am guardedly encouraged, but it’s still so early.

I hope you have fun plans for the weekend. I am spending two days with my daughters, doing fun things. I can’t wait. I know I haven’t posted drawing videos from my studio in a while and hope to do that next week; I really enjoy doing them, its just been so busy! I also feel compelled to write about politics.

Sometimes, this New Yorker cartoon I drew is how I feel about the war and politics (which right now feels like a war of sorts). Can’t relax. But I know play is very important.

Thanks for being here!