From Alaska Public Media — Alaska Gov. Dunleavy policy adviser who said ‘divorce is worse than rape’ resigns
An investigation I did for Alaska Public Media, with our partners at American Public Media, found that GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy's new "pro-family" policy advisor had aired shocking views on his podcast.
In addition to publishing Northern Journal, I’m working part-time under contract with Alaska Public Media to report investigative stories. Here’s one we published Tuesday with our partners at American Public Media in Minnesota. Have suggestions for investigative topics? Reply to this email.
Alaska Gov. Dunleavy policy adviser who said ‘divorce is worse than rape’ resigns
By Nathaniel Herz and Curtis Gilbert
Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s adviser on “pro-family” policies resigned Tuesday after revelations that he made incendiary and offensive statements on a podcast.
A review of more than 100 hours of recordings by Alaska Public Media and APM Reports found that Jeremy Cubas defended Adolf Hitler’s views on “living homogeneously,” boasted that he uses a vile racial slur “on a daily basis” and said people should “get violent” in response to aggressive transgender activists.
He also said it’s not possible for a man to rape his wife.
“When you signed the contract, you have already consented,” Cubas said recently.
Cubas aired those and other extreme views on the podcast he co-hosts, Contra Gentiles, whose Latin title translates to “against the non-believers.”
The program, which has been published for the past three years, was available for anyone to hear on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube when Dunleavy, in April, promoted Cubas to a $110,000-a-year job as his policy adviser on “pro-family” issues.
Cubas resigned Tuesday, after Alaska Public Media and APM Reports asked Dunleavy’s office about Cubas’ comments, according to Jeff Turner, a spokesman for the governor.
“Gov. Dunleavy sincerely believes that the differences between people are what makes all of us stronger,” Turner said in a prepared statement. “The governor represents all Alaskans, regardless of their faith, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation or gender. Derogatory statements about individuals and groups within our society do not in any way reflect the values of Gov. Dunleavy or his administration and will not be tolerated.”
Read the rest of our story here.
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