S5 E25: Brazil Elections, Trump Tax Fraud & Kavanaugh: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
16 Sep 2024 (2 days ago)
Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Nomination
- Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court.
- More than half of the $7 million spent in support of Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination came from the Judicial Crisis Network.
- The Judicial Crisis Network ran ads featuring women claiming to know Kavanaugh personally and vouching for his character.
- Mitch McConnell stated that blocking Merrick Garland from the court was one of his proudest moments.
Donald Trump's Actions
- President Trump was seen boarding Air Force One with what appeared to be toilet paper stuck to his shoe.
- Donald Trump mocked Al Franken, not for accusations of sexual misconduct, but for taking responsibility for his actions.
Brazil's Political and Economic Crisis
- Brazil is facing its worst recession in history, with high unemployment and crime rates. In 2017, there were over 63,000 homicides, exceeding the combined total of Europe and the United States.
- A corruption scandal, referred to as "Operation Car Wash," has further eroded public trust in the Brazilian government. The scandal involved inflated contracts, bribes, and kickbacks, implicating high-ranking officials.
- Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, was a frontrunner in the election but was imprisoned for corruption charges stemming from Operation Car Wash. Despite his imprisonment, Lula remained popular, with polls suggesting he would have won if allowed to run from prison.
Jair Bolsonaro's Presidential Campaign
- Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right candidate in the Brazilian election, is popular with young people in Brazil.
- Bolsonaro has expressed support for torture, dictatorship, and violence against political opponents.
- Bolsonaro has made homophobic and misogynistic remarks, including stating that gay children should be beaten and that a congresswoman was not worth raping.
- Jair Bolsonaro, a Brazilian presidential candidate, was recently stabbed at a campaign rally but claims to be making a full recovery.
- Bolsonaro's support has increased since the attack, even receiving an endorsement from Heraldo Wolverine.
- If no candidate receives over 50% of the vote, a runoff election will take place on October 28th.