‘A bit controversial, but that’s OK’
| 'A bit controversial, but that's OK'  Hungary is a dream holiday destination for a die-hard Donald Trump fan. The picturesque Eastern European nation is a test case for what happens when a strongman erodes democracy, attacks the press, rails against immigration and stacks the judiciary with right-wing zealots.
Sounds familiar. Based on his administration, the former President's behavior since his election loss in November and the actions of Republican politicians bought into his personality cult, Hungary is exactly the model he has in the mind for the US. It therefore is not surprising that Tucker Carlson, the top-rated high priest of America First populist nationalism on Fox News has popped up in Budapest at the side of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Carlson has recently accused the eavesdroppers at America's National Security Agency of spying on him -- a charge the spooks deny -- and has devoted hours of prime time to spreading misinformation about coronavirus vaccines. Like Trump, his staple routine demagogues immigration and race. Carlson tweeted a picture of himself in deep conversation with Orban, a pal of President Vladimir Putin, apparently overlooking the Danube, and will beam his show from the now ironically dubbed "Capital of Freedom" all week.
His trip to Eastern Europe is not just the latest sign that the pro-Trump right in the US has rejected the legacy of its one-time hero Ronald Reagan who pleaded with the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down that wall." Conservatives' lionizing of Orban -- who frequently clashes with EU leaders on human rights, press freedom and judicial independence -- suggests where they'd like the GOP to go.
Trump, who is giving every sign that he wants to run again for the White House in 2024, fawned over Orban in the Oval Office in 2019. "I know he's a tough man but he's a respected man. Probably like me, a bit controversial, but that's ok."  Orban and Carlson (Source: Tucker Carlson/Twitter) The world and America Dozens of bodies were found floating down the river between Sudan and Ethiopia's Tigray.
Meanwhile in America, New York City will follow France's example and require vaccines for indoor dining.
And the FBI used "provocative" photos of young support staff in sting operations.   Like Rudy Giuliani, Gov. Andrew Cuomo was a New York hero at a moment of crisis but now sees his reputation in tatters.
A bombshell investigation of the famed Democrat by New York's attorney general found that he sexually harassed multiple women, including current and former state employees, and created a hostile work environment. Investigators spoke to 179 individuals, and reviewed 74,000 pieces of evidence, according to state Attorney General Letitia James.
The investigation found Cuomo engaged in "unwelcome and nonconsensual touching" and made comments of a "suggestive" sexual nature that James says contravened multiple state and federal laws. There are allegations he touched women on the breast, buttocks or kissed them on the cheek, and that he made comments that one ex-aide interpreted as "clear overtures to a sexual relationship."
A report this damning would be sufficient to end most political careers. But Cuomo, the son of late former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, is denying the allegations, claiming his actions were misunderstood. In a videotaped statement, the governor's defense boiled down to an argument that he cupped almost everyone's chin in his hands and kissed them, men or women. He even provided a showreel of pictures showing him doing just that. He also said that he was trying to help a young female aide and survivor of sexual abuse, when he asked about her sex life.
With daily news conferences, Cuomo was a strong voice when New York was consumed by the pandemic last year -- a role that mirrored former New York Mayor Giuliani's strong performance after the 9/11 attacks. But his Democratic power base is now teetering. President Joe Biden has called for Cuomo to resign, as have New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and her Empire State colleague Chuck Schumer, the majority leader of the US Senate. He could face impeachment in the New York Legislature or a big-name Democrat challenger if he runs for a fourth term next year.
But for now, he is digging in. In doing so, he's also testing a premise established in earlier phases of the #MeToo movement exposing sexual harassment and assault allegations -- that victims should be believed when leveling accusations. Thanks for reading. On Wednesday, Switzerland's Vice President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis visits Vietnam. The islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Réunion will once again face closed beaches and strict Covid-19 restrictions. And it's the one-year anniversary of Beirut's devastating port explosion. View in browser | All CNN Newsletters
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