Kristi Noem, Kari Lake, and Tom Cotton

Kristi Noem wanted to be VP. So she bragged about killing her dog. [Courier]( Friend, On Friday, South Dakota Governor and aspiring Trump running mate Kristi Noem released a preview of her memoir. In it, she bragged about shooting and killing a 14-month-old puppy and a goat, then throwing them into a gravel pit. After the story went viral, Noem defended her actions, comparing the horrific killings to the responsibilities she faced in politics. According to her logic, she thought that killing her puppy made her the most qualified candidate to be Trump’s VP. Friend, if you’ve noticed an escalation in the Republican obsession with violence, you’d be correct. [We’ll explain more in a minute, but today is our end-of-month deadline, and we’re trying to raise a record-breaking $25,000 to counter the dangerous rhetoric on the right. Do you have a moment to chip in $15?]( Folks, there’s a reason why Kristi Noem thinks violence is a prerequisite for holding Republican office. That reason is Donald J. Trump. Remember when he told supporters to attack journalists at his rallies? Or, just last month, when he said the January 6th rioters were “hostages,” even though they stormed the Capitol, attacked police officers, and threatened to hang Mike Pence? All the while, right-wing media like Fox News and Tucker Carlson cheered Trump on to millions of Republican voters. They normalized violent rhetoric to such an extreme degree that Governor Noem actually thought a story about brutally killing a puppy would help her secure the Republican Vice Presidential nod. But, friend, Noem wasn’t even the only Republican trafficking in violent rhetoric last week. During a rally, MAGA Republican Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake told supporters to “strap on a Glock” to prepare for the 2024 election. And Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton took to Twitter/X last week to tell people to “take matters into your own hands” when dealing with protestors. On a Fox News program, he encouraged members of the public to throw protesters off of bridges and tear the skin off of their fingers. This type of rhetoric isn’t just morally disgraceful; it’s dangerous. It’s why we had January 6th. It’s why Nancy Pelosi’s 82-year-old husband was attacked in his own home by an assailant with a hammer. At COURIER, we fight back by providing high-quality reporting in communities where violent, right-wing propaganda is likely to spread. We strengthen democracy and our communities by meeting people in the online spaces where they’re most likely to see right-wing fear-mongering—like social media feeds and email inboxes—and serving them factual local news about the most urgent issues facing their communities. [Our end-of-month April deadline is less than 12 hours away, and we need to raise less than $3,500 to have our best fundraising month ever. Can you chip in $15 and help put us over the top?]( Express Donate: If you've stored your info with ActBlue Express, we'll process your contribution instantly: [$5]( [$15]( [$25]( [$50]( Thanks, The COURIER team --------------------------------------------------------------- Email us: info@couriernewsroom.com [Become a member!]( This message was sent to: {EMAIL}. Email is a critical way we communicate with grassroots supporters like you. However, if you would like to change your subscription preferences, here are some options: [Receive Fewer Emails]( [Update Your Information]( [unsubscribe]( To give by check: Courier Newsroom Box 509 New York, NY 10032