Predators in Power: The GOP’s Rot of Sexual Abuse and the Global Duty to Expose It
The Mountain of Morality Is Crumbling
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“Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”
— George W. Bush
For years, a segment of the Republican base has been gripped by a false conspiracy called Pizzagate — a baseless claim that Democratic elites ran a child sex trafficking ring out of a Washington pizzeria. The media frenzy, fueled by far-right forums and QAnon propaganda, sent a man armed with a rifle into that restaurant in 2016 — where no children were found and no basement even existed.
The truth, however, is far more unsettling:
The rot wasn’t in a pizza parlor. It was in the GOP itself.
🧠 Let’s Talk About Power — Not Just Sex
Rape, sexual abuse, and trafficking are not merely about sex.
They are acts of domination — tools of power used by those in control to dehumanize and silence others. Victims often find themselves trapped in powerless positions while the perpetrators sit in positions of public trust, authority, or fame. This dynamic is central to understanding why so many survivors stay silent — and why so many powerful men remain unpunished.
🔍 Power Dynamics: What Makes It Worse
💡 1. Abuse as Domination
Rape is not about sex—it’s about power. Studies show it is a form of aggression and control, not attraction. When the victim is a child, the coercive dynamic is magnified—they have no voice.
💡 2. Institutional Cover
Abusers exploit systemic silence. A coach, judge, politician, or religious leader has inherent credibility—victims rarely do. This silence is a tool of trauma and suppression.
💡 3. Psychological Trauma
Victims suffer lifelong consequences: learned helplessness, depression, PTSD, and self-blame. Betrayal by trusted figures deepens wounds. Our coverage centers on respect, not sensationalism.
🧨 Who Are the Men Protected by Power?
Below is a partial list of powerful GOP-linked figures accused of sexual abuse, rape, or predatory behavior. This list is not exhaustive, but it illustrates a pattern of impunity deeply embedded in America’s right-wing political and legal infrastructure.
1. Donald J. Trump (U.S. President) & Jeffrey Epstein (Convicted Child Sex Trafficker): Power and Access Combined
Accused by E. Jean Carroll of sexual assault (a jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation in 2023). Over 25 women have publicly accused him of misconduct. Trump was also close friends with Jeffrey Epstein, the now-dead sex trafficker of underage girls. Trump once said Epstein “likes beautiful women... on the younger side.”
Trump’s high-status and celebrity offered him proximity to Epstein far beyond what an average person could access. Epstein’s trafficking network gave Trump access to vulnerable minors and young women; allegations suggest Trump leveraged that access for sexual gratification and power signaling. His fame shielded him—accusations from dozens of women, including a minor, could safely be dismissed or suppressed.
Power dynamic: Trump used his celebrity status and political influence to discredit victims, delay legal proceedings, and shield himself from consequences. The Republican Party still idolizes him.
2. Jim Jordan (R-OH) & the Ohio State Wrestling Scandal: Authority Ignored Abuse
While serving as a coach at Ohio State, several wrestlers alleged that Jordan knew about rampant sexual abuse by team doctor Richard Strauss and did nothing. Jordan denies the allegations, but multiple whistleblowers say he was aware.
As assistant coach at OSU (1986–1994), Jim Jordan held power over teenage athletes. Regis survivors report Dr. Strauss conducting medically unnecessary genital exams, often while showering with athletes. Strauss’s locker sat beside Jordan’s and athletes routinely told Jordan about abuse—and he responded with snickers or indifference rather than intervention; Mike DiSabato and others begged him to act and were told variations of, “I have nothing to do with this” or “I'll kill him if he tries it on me” Reddit+14Advocate.com+14CNN+14. Jordan’s inaction reinforced Strauss’s impunity and taught victims they had nowhere safe to turn—power abused through silence and inaction.
Power dynamic: Jordan’s loyalty to institutional silence helped him rise in Congress. Protecting abusers allowed the GOP to maintain "order" over justice.
3. Matt Gaetz [Former Congressman (R-FL)]: Political Influence, Transactional Exploitation
Under federal investigation (2021–2023) for allegedly sex trafficking a 17-year-old girl across state lines. He avoided charges, but his associate Joel Greenberg, a GOP official, pled guilty to child sex trafficking.
Gaetz’s political position gave him access to young women, and the House Ethics report suggests he arranged drug‑fueled parties, including likely sexual relations with a 17-year-old and payments for sex services. The evidence includes texts, travel logs, and online receipts. His institutional privilege shielded him from legal consequences, reinforcing a classic trafficker hierarchy: power + financial inducement = abuse with impunity AP News.
Power dynamic: Gaetz used his political position to allegedly exploit vulnerable girls while using media influence to deflect attention.
4. Matt Schlapp (CPAC): Power and Workplace Coercion
Head of CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), Schlapp was accused by a male Herschel Walker campaign staffer of groping his genitals without consent. A civil lawsuit followed in 2023.
As CPAC chair, Schlapp wielded authority over a male campaign staffer in Walker’s Senate run. The lawsuit cites groping and coercive behavior, with texts revealing the subordinate's discomfort. Schlapp’s position enabled the abuse—and shielded him publicly from accountability—illustrating how authority dynamics facilitate sexual exploitation.
Power dynamic: As a conservative kingmaker, Schlapp allegedly used his control over access to GOP power to silence dissent and normalize abuse behind closed doors.
5. Clarence Thomas (SCOTUS): Workplace Coercion and Psychological Intimidation
Though not criminally accused of sexual assault, Anita Hill famously testified in 1991 that then-Supreme Court nominee Thomas made repeated sexually inappropriate comments to her, including saying there was a pubic hair on a Coke can he handed her. Hill was not believed at the time. Years later, her story is seen as foundational to the #MeToo movement.
During Anita Hill’s tenure at the EEOC, Thomas—her boss—used hierarchy to harass her: comments on rape, porn, his own anatomy, and even placing a pubic hair on her Coke can to demean and intimidate. Hill reported feeling increasingly vulnerable, her refusal to date him fueling further pressure. She ultimately reported fearing career retaliation—Thomas had warned he would ruin her if she spoke out Wikipedia+1Wikipedia+1. His confirmation showed how power structures silence victims.
Power dynamic: Thomas became a Supreme Court justice despite credible allegations — a sign that truth alone is not enough to stop someone backed by institutional power.
6. Brett Kavanaugh (SCOTUS): Elite Privilege and Denial of Consent
Brett Kavanaugh (SCOTUS): Elite Privilege and Denial of Consent
In 2018, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a high school party in the early 1980s, describing an attempted assault where he pinned her down, covered her mouth, and tried to remove her clothes without consent. Kavanaugh vehemently denied the allegations, framing them as a political attack.
The hearing exposed stark divisions: Kavanaugh’s privileged background, elite education, and connections appeared to shield him from full accountability. Ford’s testimony highlighted how survivors of sexual assault often face intense scrutiny and disbelief, especially when their accused hold powerful status. The political theater around the confirmation underscored how elite networks can drown out victims' voices.
During his confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh faced multiple credible sexual assault allegations. Survivors described his behavior as empowered by social and peer status—pinning and laughing at a vulnerable peer, assuming consent. The Supreme Court confirmation process favored his elite identity over survivor testimony—status protected abuser, discrediting victims.
Power dynamic: Kavanaugh’s confirmation despite credible testimony revealed how elite privilege and partisan loyalty can override the pursuit of justice and respect for consent.
7. Dennis Hastert (Former GOP Speaker of the House): Institutional Trust Betrayed
Dennis Hastert was never criminally accused of sexual assault during his time in office, but in 2015 he pleaded guilty to financial crimes related to hush money payments to conceal decades-old sexual abuse of underage boys when he was a high school wrestling coach. His case revealed a profound betrayal of public trust—an elected leader abusing his position and then manipulating the justice system to hide his crimes.
Hastert’s actions exposed how institutional power and trust can be weaponized to protect predators. For years, allegations were suppressed or ignored, allowing abuse to continue unchecked. His role as Speaker of the House amplified the shock and sense of betrayal felt by the public, demonstrating how positions of authority can mask deep personal wrongdoing.
As U.S. Speaker, Hastert embodied institutional moral authority. Yet his predatory abuse of teenage boys—years earlier as a wrestling coach—was enabled by silence, loyalty, and conservative deference. His later structural payments concealed the crime, preventing victims from public disclosure until decades later. His institutional prestige masked abuse for years.
Power dynamic: Hastert’s downfall showed that even the highest-ranking officials can abuse power behind closed doors, and that institutional prestige often delays or obstructs justice for survivors.
8. Roy Moore (Former Alabama Chief Justice): Religious Authority & Access to Minors
Roy Moore, a deeply religious political figure, faced multiple credible accusations in 2017 that he pursued romantic and sexual relationships with teenage girls—some reportedly as young as 14—while he was in his 30s. His status as a conservative Christian leader and former judge gave him significant influence in his community, which critics say he exploited to gain access to vulnerable minors.
Despite the allegations, Moore’s supporters framed the accusations as politically motivated attacks, and he narrowly lost a U.S. Senate race amid intense national scrutiny. The controversy highlighted how religious authority and moral posturing can be used to mask predatory behavior and silence victims within communities that are reluctant to confront such abuses.
Moore used his position as a judge and evangelical icon to approach teenage girls, some as young as 14, in religious or family settings. He preached moral purity while exploiting vulnerable minors—a betrayal of religious power that normalized grooming.
Power dynamic: Moore’s case exemplifies how figures cloaked in religious and political power can leverage that authority to evade accountability and target minors under the guise of trust and righteousness.
9. Ralph Shortey (Former Oklahoma State Senator): Political Power and Trafficking a Minor
Ralph Shortey, a Republican state senator in Oklahoma, was arrested in 2017 on charges of soliciting a minor for sex and possession of child pornography. Investigations revealed that Shortey had engaged in trafficking a 14-year-old boy, exploiting his political status to manipulate and coerce the vulnerable youth. His position as a lawmaker and public servant gave him significant access and influence, which he betrayed by committing egregious abuses of power.
Despite his public image as a conservative family man and advocate for traditional values, Shortey’s criminal actions exposed a stark hypocrisy and a dangerous exploitation of political authority. His arrest and conviction brought to light the dark reality of how political figures can use their power and status to prey on minors while hiding behind a facade of respectability.
Shortey exploited his political office to engage with a 17-year-old boy in a motel—a clear abuse of political position to traffic a minor. His later imprisonment was the first major public accountability. But before that, his status bolstered trust in him and suppressed scrutiny.
Power dynamic: Shortey’s case underscores how political power can be weaponized to facilitate the trafficking and exploitation of minors, while shielding perpetrators through systemic privilege and institutional silence.
10. Josh Duggar (Former Family Research Council Lobbyist): Evangelical Authority and Family Betrayal
Josh Duggar, once the wholesome face of the ultra-conservative Duggar family on the reality show 19 Kids and Counting, was positioned as a model of Christian family values. But behind the scenes, Duggar repeatedly violated that image. In 2015, it was revealed that he had molested multiple underage girls—including several of his own sisters—when he was a teenager. Though not criminally charged for those offenses due to the statute of limitations, Duggar later faced federal prosecution and was convicted in 2021 of possessing child sexual abuse material.
Duggar’s case represented a devastating breach of both evangelical trust and familial safety. His offenses were reportedly known to his parents, who chose to conceal the abuse rather than report it to authorities. Meanwhile, Josh continued to be elevated as a public advocate for "traditional family values," even working for the Family Research Council, a conservative lobbying group.
His downfall laid bare how patriarchal religious systems can enable abusers under the guise of forgiveness, modesty, and moral superiority. Silence, victim-blaming, and institutional protection allowed his behavior to remain hidden for years—reinforcing cycles of trauma and distrust among survivors within insular faith communities.
As a public figure championing family values, Duggar’s admitted molestation of underage sisters and later conviction for possession of child abuse material exposed how religious authority can cloak predation, undermining trust in institutions and martyring image over accountability.
Power dynamic: Duggar’s privileged position within a high-profile evangelical family and conservative political circles shielded him from consequences for years. His public image as a moral crusader starkly contradicted his private crimes—demonstrating how faith-based authority, family loyalty, and political connections can conspire to bury abuse.
🔸 Other Cases, Enablers & Patterns Worth Naming
Roger Ailes (Former Fox News CEO): Accused of serial sexual harassment by multiple women, including Gretchen Carlson and Megyn Kelly. Fox paid millions in hush money (NYT).
Bill O’Reilly (Former Fox Host): Fox paid $45 million in settlements over multiple sexual harassment suits.
Steve Wynn (Trump megadonor): Accused of sexual assault by multiple women. The RNC initially stood by him.
George Nader (Trump adviser): Convicted of child pornography and child sex trafficking (NYT).
💔 The Power Behind the Violence: Empathy, Trauma, and Why It Matters
To truly resist abuse, we must speak openly—not only about who did what, but about how abuse works: through the theft of power itself. Rape—whether forced sex, statutory rape, or trafficking—is less about sexual desire and more about domination, control, and dehumanization, especially when survivors are children or vulnerable youth.
⚖️ Dynamics of Power and Abuse
Research shows rape is often fundamentally about power and aggression, not sex. Social scientists describe it as a pseudo-sexual act—a weapon of dominance and control, not desire RedditPsychology Today.
Children and young victims inhabit a position of stark inequality—by age, cognitive ability, authority, or dependency. Abusers exploit this, degrading the victim’s humanity and autonomy PMCWikipedia. Statutory rape laws assume coercion because minors cannot meaningfully consent, especially when there's an age or power gap Cambridge University Press & Assessment+3Wikipedia+3Reddit+3.
🧠 Psychological Impact on Survivors
The trauma from such abuse is profound. Victims often experience learned helplessness, depression, PTSD, self-blame, and dissociation—especially when abuse comes from those meant to protect them Reddit. Silence, stigma, or disbelief further magnify the harm, delaying healing or disclosure for years UTP PublishingObgyn Key.
💬 Why We Must Name the Power
Discussing abuse through a power-based lens honors survivors’ experiences. It helps dismantle rape culture that normalizes violence, blames victims, and excuses abusers—often because of their status or influence Trauma InformedWikipedia. Understanding this is vital when addressing child trafficking, grooming, coercion, and institutional cover‑ups.
In honoring survivors, this exposé refuses to reduce their trauma to sensational headlines. It centers human dignity—and insists that justice mean more than symbolic condemnation.
🧠 To the Misled: An Empathetic Message
To every person who fell for Pizzagate or QAnon’s claims that “Democrats are running child sex rings” — we get it.
You were trying to protect children.
But you were lied to, systematically.
Right-wing echo chambers, coordinated disinformation campaigns, and influencers like Alex Jones and Tucker Carlson used your love of family and morality to weaponize your emotions against “the other side” — all while shielding real abusers on their own.
Now that you know the facts, what will you do?
Will you keep following those who fooled you?
Or will you turn that same protective energy toward cleaning house — even if it means facing hard truths about your own party?
“Fool me once… you can’t get fooled again.” You were fooled once—don’t be fooled again. The next move is yours.
🧱 Authoritarian Pattern: Projective Abuse
Abusers often project. They accuse others of what they are doing. This serves to distract, to divide, to sustain silence. We must interrupt that pattern by naming predators, especially within your own party, and supporting survivors.
⚖️ Moral Collapse Is Not a Bug — It’s a Feature of Authoritarianism
From the highest court in the land to grassroots Republican politics, a pattern is clear: sexual abuse and harassment are not just tolerated—they’re often protected, dismissed, and weaponized to distract from real victims while claiming moral high ground.
This is not incidental. It reflects the underlying values of authoritarian patriarchies: control over women and children, loyalty over truth, and power over justice.
📜 What Needs to Be Done
Pass bipartisan legislation mandating independent investigations into sex abuse claims in Congress, courts, and lobbying groups.
Ban nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in sexual abuse settlements involving public officials.
Create a national public database for substantiated cases of abuse involving political figures — regardless of party.
Fund survivor-centered education campaigns on coercive power, grooming, and trafficking.
Train media platforms and schools to better detect disinformation campaigns that exploit moral panic.
🧨 This Is Bigger Than Partisan Politics
This isn’t about hating Republicans or loving Democrats.
It’s about restoring trust, protecting the vulnerable, and ending the culture of impunity.
True morality isn’t blind loyalty to a red or blue team.
It’s standing up for the truth — no matter where it leads.
📚 Sources & Further Reading
E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump Verdict (2023): https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/09/nyregion/trump-carroll-verdict.html
Jim Jordan Accusations: https://www.npr.org/2018/07/03/625290527/rep-jim-jordan-denies-he-knew-about-alleged-abuse-of-ohio-state-wrestlers
Matt Gaetz Investigation: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/15/us/politics/matt-gaetz-investigation.html
Matt Schlapp Lawsuit: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/matt-schlapp-groping-lawsuit-cpac-1234687437/
Clarence Thomas & Anita Hill: https://www.npr.org/2021/10/10/1044723896/anita-hill-clarence-thomas-hearings
Hillary et al. on human trafficking power dynamics: Wikipedia – Human trafficking Wikipedia
Trauma and abuse psychology: PMC article on Child Sexual Abuse and trauma-informed models Reddit
Power-based rape analysis: Psychology Today Reddit
Statutory rape and power imbalance: Indiana Law Journal (Christopher & Christopher) repository.law.indiana.edu
Rape culture normalization and victim shaming: Trauma‑Informed sources and Wikipedia entry Trauma Informed
Real-world statistics and survivor psychology: Illustrative Reddit discussions RedditReddit
Jim Jordan & Strauss abuse dynamic: CNN, Dayton Daily News, Advocate, Vox Wikipedia+13Advocate.com+13dayton-daily-news+13
Gaetz Ethics Report on trafficking and power abuse AP News
Clarence Thomas & Anita Hill harassment dynamic and power imbalance WikipediaWikipediaThe New Yorker
Trump-Epstein Connections – The Guardian
Jim Jordan OSU Scandal – CNN
Matt Gaetz Federal Investigation – NYT
Matt Schlapp Lawsuit – Daily Beast
Dennis Hastert Case – Chicago Tribune
Roy Moore Allegations – Washington Post
Mark Foley Scandal – CNN
Trump & Epstein: The Guardian
Jim Jordan: CNN
Matt Gaetz: NYT
Schlapp: Daily Beast
Hastert: Chicago Tribune
Roy Moore: Washington Post
Clarence Thomas: NPR
Kavanaugh: NYT
Shortey: Washington Post
Duggar: CNN