For years, Democrats wrapped themselves in the language of protecting children, accusing Republicans of extremism whenever online safety or criminal penalties came up. That narrative took a direct hit last week when one of the party’s most outspoken progressive lawmakers crossed the aisle and backed Republican legislation aimed at stopping online child predators.
And it left Democrats with very little to say.
Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin shocked many in Washington by openly supporting two Republican authored bills designed to combat some of the most disturbing forms of online child exploitation ever uncovered. The legislation advanced out of the House Judiciary Committee with strong bipartisan support, even as Democrats have traditionally resisted Republican led criminal justice reforms.
The first measure, introduced by Representative Laurel Lee of Florida, targets predators who use threats involving child sexual abuse material to extort and manipulate minors. The bill makes it a federal crime to coerce victims by threatening to distribute explicit material, closing a loophole predators have exploited for years.
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