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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alan Dershowitz once again denied pierogi as Martha's Vineyard residents chant ‘time to go'
For the second week in a row, Alan Dershowitz was denied pierogi at a farmer's market in Martha's Vineyard, marking yet another summer of social angst at the exclusive enclave for the former Jeffrey Epstein lawyer. Following days of legal threats and accusations of antisemitism lobbed at the owners of Good Pierogi after last week's incident when the vendor denied him service, Dershowitz showed back up on Wednesday to once again purchase some potato-stuffed dumplings in 'an effort to try to restore community.' With a large crowd of supporters backing them, the vendor refused to back down against the famed defense attorney and continued to rebuff Dershowitz's pleas for pierogi, leaving him empty-handed once again. 'Time to go,' the supporters chanted. 'Go home, Alan!' Last week, Dershowitz put the West Tisbury Farmers Market in the national spotlight when he threatened legal action after Good Pierogi owner Krem Miskevich refused to serve him. Dershowitz would tell police officers on the scene that he was the victim of discrimination, and later posted to social media that he was suing the 'bigoted vendor' for denying him pierogi 'for political reasons.' Saying that much of the backlash against him centered on his defense of Donald Trump and Epstein, the deceased sex offender who has been back in the news, Dershowitz has also insisted that this is really about his Jewish heritage and fervent support for Israel. Over the weekend, Dershowitz passed out fliers at the market that accused vendors of being antisemitic, following that up with a tweet this week that claimed that Good Pierogi's food was 'tainted with the poison of antisemitism' while urging others to boycott the establishment. 'As I correctly suspected, the bigot who refused to sell me perogi — Krem Miskevich — is a notorious anti-semite who is part of an anti-semitic organization that protests Jewish — not only Israeli— cultural events and doesn't believe in Israel's right to exist or to respond to what these haters regard as the 'justified' massacres of Oct 7,' he posted on Monday, adding: 'Don't patronize anti-semites who refuse to sell to Jewish Zionists.' Miskevich, who uses they/them pronouns, has yet to speak to the press about the kerfuffle but did post on Good Pierogi's Instagram account a lengthy response to Dershowitz's accusations and what sparked the incident last week. Miskevich, who co-owns Good Pierogi with their spouse Lily Rose, said they 'experienced a surge of emotion' when Dershowitz appeared at their tent last week because he's represented and befriended 'several sexual predators and abusers including Jeffrey Epstein.' Miskevich added that when it gave them pause to sell to Dershowitz, the Harvard Law emeritus 'began to harass us, misgender me, and film us without our consent.' As for Dershowitz's antisemitism claims, Miskevich noted that they are Jewish and have immediate family members in Israel, noting that friends call them 'Rabbi Krem' and that they have personal relationships with other rabbis on the island. 'Finally, we don't back down to bullies – no matter their size,' Miskevich concluded the Tuesday night post. Despite calling on others to shun Good Pierogi over their 'bigotry,' Dershowitz joined the long line of customers on Wednesday after the market opened – most of whom were there to show their support for the vendor amid Dershowitz's legal threats. With anticipation growing for another confrontation with media onlookers and supporters encircling the tent, Dershowitz made his way to the front of the line and claimed he was there to bring harmony back to the island – just as long as Miskevich acknowledged they were in the wrong. 'I'm here in an effort to try to restore community and to ask you to sell me pierogi in the interest of keeping the island together so we don't have to have two pierogi stands: one for anti-Zionists and one for people who will sell to anybody,' he declared. 'So I'd ask you to please just sell me any one of your products to show that you're prepared to sell to anybody and not allow your anti-Zionism to decide which people you'll sell to.' At the same time, he came armed with a paperback version of one of his books that he wanted to give Miskevich – which he also noted he had personally signed. 'I am very surprised that you're here because of the things that you've been saying about us and the business online,' the Good Pierogi chef reacted. 'I really do not appreciate what you've been sharing in the last week.' Dershowitz insisted that everything he said was 'true,' prompting Miskevich to ask him to provide proof that they are antisemitic. Dershowitz pointed to Miskevich's participation in a protest outside the island's Jewish Culture Festival last year. Talia Weingarten, who helped organize that protest, pushed back on Dershowitz's generalization about the demonstration, claiming it was largely about taking a stand against genocide and oppression in Gaza. At the time of the protest, Weingarten told the Martha's Vineyard Times that it was to partially object to the appearance of music artist Matisyahu, who has been outspoken in his support of the Israeli Defense Force. 'We are here to reject the presence of someone who performs and fundraises for the Israeli Occupation Forces and the AIPAC lobbying group, condones violence against the Palestinian people and land in the name of Jewish safety, and denies ongoing genocide, as an extension of our Jewish values,' she said. At one point in the back-and-forth, Miskevich took issue with Dershowitz repeatedly misgendering them, prompting the high-profile lawyer to concede the point. 'You are they, you are them. I'm happy to use whatever pronouns you want,' he said. Supporters of Good Pierogi eventually began clamoring for Dershowtiz to leave while defending Miskevich, leading the celebrity attorney to accuse them of 'bigotry' and sparking an even louder argument. 'My grandparents died in the Holocaust! Don't you call me an antisemite,' one customer shouted while another added: 'My Jewish culture is a history of resistance to genocide. We are not antisemites, we stand against the oppression of all people.' Meanwhile, as Miskevich begged Dershowitz to stop being a 'bully' and calling them 'bigots,' he groused: 'You're the one who won't sell me my pierogi!' At this point, marketgoers began chanting 'time to go' before the market manager stepped in and asked Dershowitz to leave. In the end, Dershowitz shuffled off without any pierogi while the crowd loudly applauded. This time, at least, the police did not get involved. Interviewed by the Martha's Vineyard Times about the interaction, Dershowitz said he 'predicted' that Good Pierogi would receive ample support from the community because 'much of Martha's Vineyard is anti-Israel.' He also waved off Good Pierogi's Instagram post as a 'post facto excuse,' claiming 'some of the worst antisemites in the world have Jewish background and Jewish heritage.' On the other hand, other residents and longtime visitors said it was essential to support their local vendors, especially in situations where they are suddenly thrust into national controversy. 'I think, in particular, the comments that they made on social media [were] really profound and important,' Kirsten Stevenson told the Times. 'I was disappointed with what happened last week and I want to be here and support them.' Local attorneys have said that Dershowitz's legal threats against Good Pierogi and the farmer's market are on shaky legal ground. One of Dershowitz's demands is that the market write into its bylaws that vendors have to sell to everybody. '[Experts] highlighted that unlike race or religion, political beliefs are not given that same type of protection for consumers,' the Times reported. 'Zionism isn't a protected status since it's considered a political movement, but Dershowitz called this 'too simple-minded,' saying Zionism is an important part of his Judaism.' Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Michelle Obama reveals misgivings about Barack as divorce rumors continue to swirl
Michelle Obama admitted she had reservations when she first met husband Barack and expected him to be 'weird', admitting she was worried their budding love affair would ruin her career. The former first lady, 61, delved into the origins of relationship with the former President, reminiscing on the summer they met at same law firm when she was his advisor. 'So I knew of him, this Barack Obama, and everyone was abuzz about him,' she told her brother Craig Robinson, whom she co-hosts their IMO podcast with. '[Everyone] were talking about this hotshot first year Harvard Law student who was brilliant, and his name was Barack Obama.' 'I got his profile [at the law firm] and I thought, what kind of a name is Barack Obama?' she said. She continued: 'And he's Black, and everyone at the law firm was excited that he was Black, and I was like, "he's probably weird, because he's a nerd if a lot of white people are all infatuated with him."' The pair ended up spending a lot of time together over the summer working together, with Michelle admitting there was an attraction that she tried to ignore - particularly due to their work situation. 'We were becoming "friends friends" - really good friends,' she told Craig. 'Barack was like my buddy. We were going everywhere together, and we were going to lunch and laughing about the same things and making jokes.' There was one pivotal moment that changed the course of their relationship, when they went out for a summer associate outing with the firm. Michelle, 61, delved into the origins of relationship with the former President, reminiscing on the summer they met him the law firm they both worked at when she was his advisor. Pictured on their wedding day in 1992 'We had to go see Les Misérables, and I remember I really liked him because we went to Les Mis as a summer associate outing, and we both looked at each other and was like, "this sucks."' 'He looked at me at intermission and was like "let's go",' Michelle recalled, admitting she was somewhat scandalized by the thought. 'I was like, "we can't go, we're here with the firm," and he was like "we don't have to stay through this, let's just go.' Michelle said she found his attitude somewhat alluring. 'I was like, "oh, he's radical, he's like a rule breaker" and we left at intermission, we left two seats open in the box at the firm,' she said, although her actions weren't without hesitation. 'I was like "I'm ruining my career," but we went out for drinks and I really liked him.' Michelle's detailed tale of how she met her husband comes as the two continue to refute rumors they are heading for a divorce. Speculation about the Obamas' relationship has picked up over the past year, fueled in part by Michelle's decision to skip several high-profile events, including Jimmy Carter's funeral. Michelle often speaks about raising her two daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 24, with her husband, former President Barack Obama (family pictured in 2004) Michelle Obama may look like she has all parts of life under control but the former first lady has had her fair share of doubts - particularly when it comes to parenting The Obamas met in 1988 when the future president took a job at a law firm in Chicago for the summer where Michelle was already working Michelle (pictured with Barack in a photo he shared in February) dismissed speculation about her marriage and addressed the rumors head on during a podcast episode of her IMO podcast While the couple have now been married for 33 years and share two daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 24, Michelle wasn't immediately impressed with the man who was to become her future husband. She admitted she already had an idea of what he would be like. 'Then I read his bio and saw he grew up in Hawaii, and I thought how many black people grow up in Hawaii? So I already had this image, but he was assigned to be my advisee, so I had to call him on the phone,' she recalled. 'I had this image of a nerdy guy, and then the first sparky feeling I had, I felt actually, was when I talked to him on the phone and he had his Barack Obama voice. He's like, "hello", the voice was sexier than the image I had, so I sort of didn't expect this,' the former First Lady said. 'He was older, so he was self assured. We had a great conversation, but all I had was a picture and it wasn't a great picture of him so I wasn't feeling anything,' she laughed. 'Then it was his first day on the job, he shows up late right, so I'm like "OK, he's a trifling nerd with a good voice, that's what I thought,"' she mused. When she met Barack, the then-lawyer was taken aback, saying he was 'much cuter' than his picture. 'The picture didn't do him justice, so I was pleasantly surprised that he was attractive,' she admitted. 'So he stood up and you know, he was kind of cool in a way that I didn't expect. He wasn't not unapologetic about being late, but he wasn't flustered by it - he handled it in a cool way 'So I got him started on his first day and then I had to take him out for lunch and we really hit it off at lunch. We had a long lunch, a great conversation and just kind of vibed right at that lunch,' she said, adding: 'he was interesting and he was just very self-assured.' However, Michelle had ruled him out as a potential suiter because of their positions at work. 'I told myself it would be completely inappropriate for me to date this dude that I'm advising. It would be tacky, and it would be expected, so I kind of talked myself out of it,' she said. Michelle added she even entertained the idea of setting him up with her friends. 'So I started taking him to happy hours and things like that, so he was starting to meet all my friends. So my mindset was, "I'm going to fix you up." However, the two started dating and eventually married in 1992. The duo got candid about the widespread speculation of their apparent separation on a recent episode of IMO. When Craig teased the couple by asking, 'What, you guys like each other?' Michelle responded with a smirk: 'Oh yeah, the rumor mill.' Barack jumped in saying, 'She took me back! It was touch and go for a while.' Despite the jokes, Michelle made it clear she has never considered walking away from the marriage. 'There hasn't been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man,' she said on the podcast. 'And we've had some really hard times.'
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Obama says boys should have gay men as mentors in their life to 'call out when they say stuff that's ignorant'
Barack Obama has said all young boys should have a mixture of male role models and friends including a gay person so that they don't grow up 'ignorant'. The former president spoke with his wife Michelle Obama on the podcast she hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson, called IMO, which stands for 'in my opinion'. Obama, 63, whose own father was absent in Kenya during his upbringing, said that even if boys have a 'great dad' they need more than one male role model. 'One of the most valuable things I learned as a guy was, I had a gay professor in college at a time when openly gay folks still weren't out,' the Harvard Law graduate-turned-Democrat politician said. 'He became one of my favorite professors and was a great guy. He would call me out when I started saying stuff that was ignorant. 'You need that to show empathy and kindness, and by the way, you need that person in your friend group so that if you then have a boy who is gay or non-binary or what have you, they have somebody that they can go: "okay, I'm not alone in this". 'Creating that community, I know it's corny but, that's what we need'. Obama, who has two daughters, was born in Hawaii to an 18-year-old American mother and 27-year-old Kenyan father. They divorced in 1964 when he was three years old. Barack Obama has said all young boys should have a mixture of male role models and friends including a gay person so that they don't grow up 'ignorant', while speaking on the podcast hosted by his wife Michelle and her brother Craig Robinson, called IMO (in my opinion) Pictured: Obama at Harvard after he was elected president of the Harvard Law Review in 1990 His father, Barack Obama Snr., returned to Kenya where he worked for the government there. The diplomat visited his son in Hawaii only once before he was killed in a car crash in 1982. Obama was brought up by his mother, Ann Dunham, and his stepfather Lolo Soetoro, in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Honolulu, Hawaii. After graduating high school, he moved to the US mainland for college, studying at the Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, and Columbia University in New York City where he majored in political science. Obama later studied at Harvard Law School and the University of Chicago Law School. He told Newsweek in 2008 that his stepfather Soetoro was 'a good man who gave me some things that were very helpful'. 'One of the things that he gave me was a pretty hardheaded assessment of how the world works,' he added. On his wife's podcast, he also addressed rumors that their marriage was on the rocks, assuring viewers that they are still happy together. Obama has two daughters with his wife Michelle. (Pictured: the couple and their daughters Sasha and Malia at Chicago's Grant Park when they became the new first family in 2009) The former President of the United States, 63, was a guest on his wife's podcast IMO 'What, you guys like each other?' his brother-in-law Robinson joked, before Michelle replied: 'Oh yeah, the rumor mill.' 'She took me back!' Obama light-heartedly chimed in, adding: 'It was touch and go for awhile.' The former first lady added that it is nice to be in the same room as her husband, sassily telling her brother: 'When we aren't, folks think we're divorced.' Michelle then made a heartfelt admission about her relationship with her husband of almost 33 years. 'There hasn't been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man,' she said passionately. 'And we've had some really hard times,' she added. 'So we had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I'm married to.'
Mercury
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Mercury
US politics live: Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz claims to ‘know the names' in Epstein scandal
Welcome to our live coverage of US politics. Donald Trump has chosen an eccentric former Sydney councillor to represent the United States as its ambassador to Malaysia. Nick Adams is the former deputy mayor of Ashfield, a position he held when he suggested all the pigeons in the area should be exterminated as a response to bird flu. That is but a taste of the Adams experience. The man, the legend, who is now a US citizen, has spent much of the past decade baffling observers with his prolific social media output, much of which involves referring to himself as the prime example of an 'alpha male'. 'I'm a walking, talking masterpiece of masculinity. Testosterone levels spike when I enter a room. Everywhere I go, I leave a trail of awestruck admirers in my wake.' That sort of thing. 'In your America, all dreams come true,' Mr Adams said today, revelling in the announcement of his new gig. The President and White House have confirmed his nomination, which will need to be rubber stamped by the American Senate. Read on for more on that, and all the latest updates. Originally published as US politics live: Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz claims to 'know the names' in Epstein scandal
CNBC
27-06-2025
- Politics
- CNBC
Wouldn't cut rates at this point, says former Fed Governor Daniel Tarullo
Daniel Tarullo, former Federal Reserve governor and Harvard Law professor, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the attacks against Jerome Powell, what the Federal Reserve should be doing now and much more.
