Social justice group examines how deeply the far-right has penetrated state politics

Social justice group examines how deeply the far-right has penetrated¹ state politics

Transcript²

The results of a study released this month find that at least one in five Republican state legislators across the country are affiliated⁴ with far-right groups on Facebook.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We have frequently said the number of lawmakers in Congress who supported "the Big Lie." On January 6, 2021, 147 senators and members of Congress voted to object to the Democratic election that Joe Biden had obviously won. This is a common political gambit. Some Democrats⁵ have cast similar votes in the past. But in this case, Republicans did it even after it was apparent that the lie had sparked violence and death right in front of them. Some lawmakers denied they believed the big lie, even as they objected to the election, while others seemed very much to believe it. So that's members of Congress. Less is known about how far these beliefs extend among state legislators, and now a survey is shining a light on that. NPR domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef joins us now. Good morning.

ODETTE YOUSEF, BYLINE⁶: Good morning.

INSKEEP: What's the report say?

YOUSEF: So this report looked at more than 7,000 state legislative⁷ seats at capitols across the country during the 2021-2022 legislative period, Steve, and it found that 875 of them had joined at least one far-right Facebook group. So that's more than 1 in 10 of all state legislators and more than 1 in 5 of Republican state legislators. And, you know, you'll note that this may very well be an undercount. You know, maybe not all state legislators advertised their affiliations⁸ through joining Facebook groups. But it does start to paint a picture. It also had another key finding, which is that these legislators have been involved in sponsoring nearly a thousand bills across a number of areas, including limiting access to voting, limiting discussion of race in schools, restricting women's access to abortion⁹, anti-LGBTQ legislation, putting restrictions¹⁰ on protests and more.

INSKEEP: Well, you're underlining how much state legislators do and why it matters what the legislators believe. But when you say somebody is far right, what does that mean?

YOUSEF: Right. So the researchers for this survey were really trying to draw a bright line between what they were designating as far right and what we might consider sort of more traditional conservative, like membership in the group ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, you know, support for the NRA or even support just for MAGA. You know, this was really looking at legislators who occupy echo chambers¹¹ of misinformation online, you know, around things like anti-masking, election denial, COVID denial and even some who affiliate³ with movements that believe the federal government is illegitimate, Steve.

INSKEEP: Would you call them white nationalists?

YOUSEF: Not necessarily, but many of them do support agendas that would overturn sections of the Constitution. Devin Burghart heads the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, which did the survey.

DEVIN BURGHART: If you allowed groups that fall into this category to bring their agenda to fruition in the United States, it would do things like get rid of equal protection and due process and even the amendment¹² prohibiting slavery. We would get rid of things like women's voting rights. They're not out there saying we want to overthrow¹³ the government to create a white nation, but they are putting forward ideas wrapped in a constitutional package that, ultimately, have the same impact.

INSKEEP: Odette, these lawmakers were elected and tend to reflect the views of their constituents¹⁴. Is that true in this case?

YOUSEF: It might be. But Burghart, you know, says this information is still helpful. It can help educate voters and even local reporters about how their state electeds are getting their information online and how it is informing legislation that affects residents of their states. So, you know, nonetheless, it's very helpful.

INSKEEP: NPR domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef. Thanks for your reporting.

YOUSEF: Sure thing.

1 penetrated   

adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。
• They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 affiliate   

vt.使隶(附)属于；n.附属机构，分公司

参考例句：

• Our New York company has an affiliate in Los Angeles.我们的纽约公司在洛杉矶有一个下属企业。
• What is the difference between affiliate and regular membership?固定会员和附属会员之间的区别是什么？

4 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

8 affiliations   

n.联系( affiliation的名词复数 )；附属机构；亲和性；接纳

参考例句：

• She had affiliations of her own in every capital. 她原以为自己在欧洲各国首府都有熟人。 来自辞典例句
• The society has many affiliations throughout the country. 这个社团在全国有很多关系。 来自辞典例句

9 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

10 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

11 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

12 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

13 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

14 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》