Republican Party
Out-of-State Religious Conservative Activists File Brief Supporting Anti-Porn Texas Law
An extreme-right Virginia attorney with Trump links, acting on behalf of an obscure organization led by a Colorado-based religious conservative activist and former child actor, has filed a lengthy brief in a federal appeals court in Texas, supporting the state’s controversial new age verification and mandatory labeling law.
Ohio Republican's 'Innocence Act' Could Criminalize Online Nudes
A Republican lawmaker in Ohio introduced this week an age verification bill called the “Innocence Act,” which observers have pointed out that, as submitted, could criminalize the posting of any nude image online without verifying age as a felony.
North Dakota Republican Calls for Total Criminalization of Adult Content
A North Dakota Republican lawmaker took to Twitter over the weekend to call for the total criminalization of adult content and for all politicians to submit to “the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
North Carolina Group Backing Age Verification Bill Admits Law Is Actually 'Anti-Pornography'
A North Carolina religious conservative group backing just-passed age verification legislation, which a Republican state senator snuck into an unrelated bill last week, has admitted the copycat amendment is in fact an “anti-pornography provision.”
New Report Warns Against 'Rising Tide' of Conservative Censorship
A new report published last week by the Chamber of Progress, a U.S. trade group representing many of the leading technology companies, issued an urgent warning against the “rising red tide” of digital censorship promoted by conservatives.
North Carolina Republican Sneaks Copycat Age Verification Amendment Into Unrelated Bill
The North Carolina Senate voted unanimously Thursday to mandate age verification on adult websites, after a Republican senator snuck a copycat amendment mirroring other states’ requirements into an unrelated bill.
Impeachment Trial Begins for Disgraced Anti-Porn Texas AG Ken Paxton
The impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch anti-porn Republican culture warrior, began Tuesday in the state Senate, probing allegations of “bribery, unfitness for office and abuse of public trust.”
Virginia Press Reports on Failure of Recent Anti-Porn Law
The Virginia Mercury newspaper Wednesday published its first report assessing the effectiveness of the commonwealth’s recent age verification law promoted by anti-porn activists and religious conservative Republicans.
Pennsylvania Republican House Primary Heats Up Over Issue of 'Sexual Sin'
The proposition that adult content is a gateway to “sexual sin” has become an issue in the Republican primary contest for Pennsylvania’s 1st District, where longtime religious activist Mark Houck has mounted an effective right-wing challenge to mainstream conservative incumbent Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick.
Virginia Republican Behind Age Verification Law Calls Adult Content 'Not Normal'
State Sen. Bill Stanley, author of the age verification law that led Pornhub to shut down access in the commonwealth of Virginia, has defended the controversial, vaguely worded mandate by claiming that adult websites are harmful because their content is “not normal.”
Sen. Josh Hawley's New Book on Manhood Lambasts 'Timid, Weak, Sterile' Porn Watchers
“Manhood,” the new book by controversial U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Kansas, features an extended chapter titled “Cheap Sex,” in which the Republican politician asserts, “Nothing could be more timid or weak, more sterile, than a man, alone, staring at porn on his phone.”
Indiana Republicans Defund Kinsey Institute
The Republican governor of Indiana signed into law last week a budget amendment defunding Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute, the U.S.’s most historic academic center for sexual research.
Rolling Stone Surveys Ongoing Republican War on Porn
Rolling Stone magazine this week published a report on the ongoing anti-porn crusades in Republican-controlled states.
Arizona Senator's Anti-Porn Bill Questioned by Fellow Republicans
Arizona state legislators, including several GOP members, have raised serious questions about a Republican senator’s proposal to implement mandatory age verification for adult websites in the state.
Arkansas Republican Succeeds in Mandating Age Verification for All Major Platforms
The Arkansas legislature gave final legislative approval yesterday to a Republican senator's bill mandating that a number of major open social media platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Snapchat — implement age verification starting Sept. 1.
Digital Rights, Adult Industry Groups Warn About 'Porn Passport' State Laws
Digital rights and adult industry groups are sounding the alarm about the recent onslaught of “porn passport” state laws promoted by anti-porn groups and politicians, mandating various forms of age verification.
Arkansas Age Verification Bill Clears State House
Arkansas’ SB 66, a Republican bill that would require age verification before “entering a website offering pornography,” cleared the state House last week.
Arkansas Age Verification Bill Amended Over Confusing Language
The Arkansas House approved yesterday an amendment to SB 66, a Republican bill that would require age verification before “entering a website offering pornography,” over confusing language.
North Dakota Republicans' Bill Proposes Total 'Obscenity Control'
A partisan bill introduced by North Dakota Republican state senators would redefine “obscene material and performance” and “explicit sexual material” in extremely broad terms that would result in creating criminal liability for almost all instances of nudity and references to sex outside of adult venues.
Republicans Across the Country Continue Efforts to Redefine 'Prurient' Content
Republicans across the nation continue their ongoing campaign to legally redefine “prurient” — along with other terms like “obscenity,” “pornography” and “harmful to minors” — through diverse pieces of state legislation concerning topics such as online age verification, the purchase of library materials and the zoning of venues allowing drag shows.