This page addresses the core issue that has eroded our politics over the last two decades: the toxic rhetoric and hostile tone coming from all sides. The problem isn't just the policy disagreements between blue and red; it's the disrespect, incivility, and poor conduct from the very leaders we elect.

As the late, Rodney King once asked, "Can we all just get along?" Unfortunately, we continue to elect leaders who aggravate, rather than reduce, this hostile environment.

In this section, we are calling out those officials whose abusive acts and lack of character make the problem worse. We intend for this to be a strictly non-partisan project, holding individuals from every party accountable for their unacceptable behavior.

Ultimately, our goal is to demand leaders who bring out the best in themselves, and therefore, the best in us. While we hope to soon highlight those figures who embody great character, for now, we must focus on exposing those whose conduct is simply unfit for public office.

‍ ‍In a 2017 interview, Donald Trump, Jr stated “If you’re going to fight against us, you better go into the trenches and realize that my father is willing to go into the mud and he’s willing to go into the swamp …” Truer words were never spoken, and so has gone the United States of America.

The political career of Donald Trump, beginning with his presidential campaign in 2015, inaugurated a new and tumultuous era in American public life, characterized by a deliberate and unrelenting rejection of established civility and decorum. This pattern, which came to be known as the "Trump Effect," prioritized personal attack and provocation over policy debate, leaving a measurable impact on the nation's political institutions and culture.

The rhetoric was immediately marked by personal insults and demeaning language. Trump routinely assigned belittling nicknames to his rivals—such as "Crooked Hillary," "Low-Energy Jeb," and "Little Marco"—a practice that quickly became a standard, if toxic, feature of public discourse. He extended this personal aggression to marginalized groups, launching his campaign with xenophobic claims that Mexican immigrants were "rapists" and "drug dealers," and later referring to some developing nations as "sh**hole countries" in an Oval Office meeting.

His most shocking acts of incivility centered on critics and figures traditionally afforded respect. In 2015, he publicly and visibly mocked a disabled reporter, Serge Kovaleski, by flailing his arms and imitating his physical disability on a campaign stage. He repeatedly attacked Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war, claiming he was "not a war hero" because he was captured. This antagonism extended to fallen soldiers, with reports indicating he privately referred to American war dead as "losers" and "suckers." Furthermore, he was frequently criticized for misogynistic language, using terms like "nasty," "a slob," and "low-IQ" to attack female opponents and journalists.

Throughout his time in office, Trump weaponized his public platform, particularly social media, to maintain this atmosphere of conflict. He regularly attacked news outlets as the "Enemy of the People," accusing them of spreading "Fake News," which served to erode public trust in media institutions. He often retaliated against unflattering coverage by calling journalists "human scum" and, on one occasion, revoked the press credentials of a CNN reporter following a tense exchange. Domestically, his language sometimes encouraged aggression, as when he told supporters at rallies to "knock the crap out" of protesters, leading to a climate where political violence was often seen as permissible.

The cumulative effect was the normalization of rudeness and the erosion of democratic norms. Trump’s success, despite—or because of—his unconventional conduct, demonstrated to other politicians that the old rules no longer applied. This trend has contributed to soaring political polarization and a public discourse that most Americans now describe as more negative, less respectful, and less focused on facts. Ultimately, his incivility culminated in his refusal to accept the legitimate 2020 election results, which directly led to the events of January 6, 2021, showcasing how the repudiation of civil political norms can escalate into a direct threat against the peaceful transfer of power.

Pamela Jo Bondi’s political career has been characterized by fierce political partisanship, conflicts of interest, and a recurring pattern of using legal authority to serve personal and political ends, particularly those of her long-time ally, Donald Trump.

In her recent appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Bondi intensified her reputation for incivility by engaging in a combative and evasive performance that Democrats openly criticized as a betrayal of her oath. She repeatedly refused to answer direct oversight questions, notably declining to state whether she had discussed the politically charged indictment of former FBI Director James Comey with the President.

Instead of responding to inquiries, Bondi frequently snapped, interrupted, and aggressively deflected, often raising her voice and responding to policy questions with personal attacks on the Senators. For example, she told Senator Dick Durbin, "I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump," after he questioned the legal rationale for federal deployments in his home state. When pressed by Senator Adam Schiff on matters like the shuttered investigation into "border czar" Tom Homan or the release of Jeffrey Epstein files, Bondi countered by asking Schiff if he would "apologize to Donald Trump" for his role in the impeachment proceedings, and at one point called him "a failed lawyer." Schiff was forced to read a list of over ten questions Bondi had refused to answer during the hearing, stating the Attorney General was offering "personal slander as an answer" to serious oversight questions.

These antics follow a history of ethical controversy. As Florida Attorney General, her office was accused of a "pay-to-play" dynamic after she accepted a $25,000 donation from the Trump Foundation while simultaneously declining to join a lawsuit against Trump University. She also faced scrutiny for seeking to delay a scheduled execution because the date conflicted with a campaign fundraiser.

More recently, her prior role as a registered foreign lobbyist for the government of Qatar led to a direct conflict of interest. Despite this history and a Senate pledge to avoid the appearance of conflict, Bondi personally signed a Justice Department legal memo that deemed "legally permissible" the acceptance of a $400 million luxury jet gifted from the Qatari government to the U.S. This memo argued the deal did not violate the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause—an interpretation widely rejected by legal experts and lawmakers who view the deal as a blatant subversion of constitutional anti-corruption rules.

Bondi’s career demonstrates an exceptionally close alignment with the highest levels of political power, often challenging the established legal and ethical guardrails designed to ensure the independence and impartiality of the justice system.

‍ ‍The sole gubernatorial debate between Republican Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger was widely characterized by media and analysts as an exceptionally uncivil and chaotic affair, dominated by Earle-Sears’s aggressive and relentless tactics.

The Strategy of Interruption: Earle-Sears adopted a highly confrontational strategy, repeatedly ignoring the rules and moderators to interrupt Spanberger. Reports indicate she interrupted her opponent over 30 times—some counting up to 60—in an attempt to dominate the time and derail her opponent’s points. This behavior was so pronounced that moderators were frequently forced to interject, pleading with Earle-Sears to adhere to basic debate decorum, which she often ignored. The debate concluded not with a traditional polite handshake, but with Earle-Sears shouting over Spanberger’s closing statement and the moderators attempting to end the broadcast.

Controversial and Personal Attacks: Beyond the sheer volume of interruptions, Earle-Sears used highly personal and politically charged language:

Political Violence Scrutiny: She consistently pivoted questions to demand that Spanberger order her fellow Democratic nominee for Attorney General to drop out of the race following a controversy over violent text messages he had sent. Earle-Sears repeatedly accused Spanberger of "taking political calculations" rather than showing "political courage".

Insulting Law and Policy: She made inflammatory and unsubstantiated claims about Spanberger's record, alleging, for example, that Spanberger was responsible for fentanyl deaths in Virginia by failing to vote to shut down the border.

Culture War Rhetoric: Earle-Sears directly attacked Spanberger on cultural issues, notably pressing her with highly specific, personal, and provocative questions about transgender rights in schools, such as demanding to know if Spanberger would change in a locker room where "men are nude."

Critics argued that this highly aggressive approach—reminiscent of the "Trump Effect" rhetoric—may have "sabotaged herself" by making her appear unwilling to adhere to civil norms, even if voters might have agreed with some of her policy positions. The overriding public takeaway was the unhinged nature of the Republican performance, a significant departure from expected political conduct.

*Representative Nancy Mace’s public conduct recently escalated into an incident of notable incivility and hostility directed at law enforcement and airport security personnel at Charleston International Airport. This confrontation highlights a broader pattern of highly personalized and aggressive behavior aimed at generating political attention.

The Airport Incident: According to a detailed incident report from the Charleston County Aviation Authority Police Department, Mace allegedly berated and cursed at officers assigned to escort her to her flight. The dispute arose from a perceived delay and confusion over her arrival and security arrangements. Officers reported that Mace loudly cursed at them, calling them "f---ing incompetent" and repeatedly insisting, "this is no way to treat a U.S. Representative." She allegedly demanded treatment she felt befitted her status, saying the police would "never treat [U.S. Senator] Tim Scott like this." The report states that Mace's "tirade" of cursing and complaining continued as she was escorted through the airport and did not end until she boarded the aircraft.

Response and Denial: Mace immediately dismissed the law enforcement accounts as "FAKE NEWS" and suggested the incident was being politicized by her rivals in the South Carolina gubernatorial race. However, while denying the exact reporting, she did confirm she was upset, telling reporters she "100 percent yes" complained due to heightened security concerns following recent death threats. She also took to social media to launch a highly personal attack against a rival, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, accusing him of "spying on me at the airport" and suggesting he should spend more time prosecuting other crimes.

Broader Pattern of Public Conduct: This airport confrontation is consistent with Mace's broader political brand, which critics describe as focusing on attention-seeking public antics rather than traditional legislative work. She has previously been accused of verbally attacking constituents with profanity during a public exchange and has used the floor of the House of Representatives for highly unusual, dramatic announcements, including leveling explosive personal accusations against former associates. This latest incident, however, stands out for its public verbal abuse directed at the TSA and local law enforcement officials, including some who are federal workers facing the strain of an ongoing government shutdown.

‍ ‍ *It is worth noting that while Representative Mace (R-SC) is drawing full pay and benefits during the government shutdown, the TSA agents assigned to protect her, that she was berating, are not. Just saying…