It took minutes for Democrats to accuse Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin of "leaking" videos of Democratic candidate Susannah Gibson performing sex acts on the website Chaturbate. Some even called it "revenge porn," overlooking the obvious fact that Gibson streamed these sex acts online for money.
We've seen lots of hot takes on how this is perfectly normal. Washington Monthly editor Matthew Cooper published a really, really long piece on Gibson, urging her to "stand strong."
Coope writes:
Gibson, a Democrat, isn’t denying that she had an account on the site where she and her husband engaged in sex. She’s defiantly said she’s staying in the race, and her attorney vows to use Virginia’s revenge porn law to go after whoever leaked it.
The mother of two is right to stand her ground. Look, it’s up to voters to decide if sexhibition with your spouse is disqualifying. It wouldn’t sway my vote, assuming there was nothing illegal going on. Lots of Americans record themselves having sex. That a married and consenting couple does so not only on camera but online is not that big a stretch.
The showoffs on Chaturbate can get paid by admirers who leave tips. According to reporters who have seen some Gibson videos, the candidate and her spouse encouraged her audience to donate because it’s for “a good cause.”
She's using Virginia's revenge porn law to go after whoever leaked it? No one "leaked" it — she streamed it online for an audience. Our own Aaron Walker did a deep dive into whether or not she violated any Virginia laws and concluded: "Is this lawyer stupid? Does this lawyer not see the risks? Or is it possible that this lawyer sees the risks and his clients aren’t listening to his advice?"
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We're fine with Gibson staying in the race, and it won't be long before everyone pretends this never happened. But trying to normalize this isn't going to fly with us.
This is parody, right?
— WinstonSmith (@BackporchBobcat) September 14, 2023
“So far, Gibson is hanging in there, which is good.” 😂
— Brian Doherty (@BDOH) September 14, 2023
I remember getting hired for my last job. It was a Zoom interview and I watched my wife get double-teamed by some Slavic construction workers. They offered me 20% above market rate starting salary.
— Probst (@Yelm_Tornado) September 14, 2023
It's totally normal and ethical that she prostituted herself and her husband (at times, against his will) to fund her campaign, exposing pictures of her children and unaffiliated parties in the process.
— ryhops (@ryryhops) September 13, 2023
Have some self respect
— ..- (@danameisjames0) September 14, 2023
Remeber when Dems were all twisted up over a fake peepee dossier? Now they're fundraising off of a real peepee video.
— Coco's Dad - 🇺🇸 🇸🇪 🏴 (@kilshaw_81) September 14, 2023
That's a good point. Democrats and the media (and Tom Arnold) spent years looking for the infamous "pee-pee tape" from the fictional Steele dossier. Dems also posted plenty of nude photos of Melania Trump on Twitter — was that bad, to pose nude?
This defense is incredible to watch.
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 14, 2023
She didn't just "perform in online porn," she sold videos of herself going to the bathroom to fund her campaign. WHILE RUNNING FOR OFFICE. https://t.co/iPl8eURW8I
This is where we are as a culture. https://t.co/UIWAyDnaHL
— Brian Knotts (@brianknotts) September 14, 2023
Five more years til candidates are deliberately releasing sex tapes to connect with the kids https://t.co/DtvDYoAp5T
— Jason Hornbuckle (@JasonHornbuckle) September 14, 2023
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