'Reacher' Actor and the Stench of a Double Standard

"Reacher" star Alan Ritchson recently viciously denounced President Donald Trump. During a podcast interview, Ritchson called Trump a "f***ing rapist" and claimed Trump was "all up into 13-year-olds."

Trump has repeatedly denied the accusations. Ritchson's claim that Trump was "all up into 13-year-olds" refers to the accusation made by "Katie Johnson," the pseudonym used by the accuser. She voluntarily withdrew her lawsuit against Trump before trial.

Nevertheless, Ritchson appeared to treat the allegations as established fact. Either Ritchson never read or did not believe the November 2017 Daily Mail article with this headline: "EXCLUSIVE: Troubled woman with a history of drug use who claimed that she was assaulted by Donald Trump at a Jeffrey Epstein sex party at age 13 MADE IT ALL UP."

The Daily Mail reported that the woman admitted she fabricated the story and had a documented history of drug abuse and mental illness. The article stated:

"Social media erupted with claims that the woman had been paid off by Trump or was so terrified by threats to her life from Trump supporters that she was forced to withdraw her claims.

"But DailyMail.com has learned that the real reason the suit was dropped is because the claims were simply NOT true ...

"Her claims can today be exposed as untruthful, the key fact being that Donald Trump was not involved whatsoever."

The article also quoted a source familiar with the case:

"Katie Johnson's account had been believable and compelling right up until the last minute. But new information emerged that suggested she had not been telling the truth.

"Ultimately it was discovered that Donald Trump's name had been inserted into this. He was not involved whatsoever. After that she had no credibility."

Now compare Ritchson's treatment of former President Joe Biden.

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Tara Reade accused Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993 while she worked as one of his Senate staffers. Biden denied the allegation.

Yet when Biden visited the set of "Reacher," Ritchson described meeting him as "a privilege and an honor." Ritchson is, of course, free to admire Biden just as he is free to dislike Trump.

I'm accustomed to Hollywood actors supporting politicians whose views differ from mine. Tom Hanks can support Democrats all he wants. But accusing Trump of being "all up into 13-year-olds" isn't ordinary political commentary. It is declaring someone guilty of a monstrous crime.

When Trump denies serious allegations, Ritchson appears to treat the denials as meaningless. Trump is simply guilty. When Biden denies a serious allegation, Ritchson shows no comparable public interest in examining that accusation. Instead, he warmly praised Biden after meeting him.

For years, Americans were told that women making allegations of sexual assault deserved to be believed. During the #MeToo movement, "Believe women" became, for many, an article of faith. Yet that principle often appears to depend upon the politics of the accused.

When allegations are made against conservatives, many commentators act as though the accusations themselves establish guilt. When allegations involve prominent liberals or Democrats, many of those same voices suddenly urge caution, demand additional corroboration, or simply change the subject.

None of this proves that every accusation against a conservative is false or every accusation against a liberal is true. Nor does it mean every accusation and every denial deserve equal weight. But the standard should not change depending upon the party affiliation of the accused.

If Trump's denials are dismissed because someone believes the evidence against him is overwhelming, that person ought to explain why Biden's denials deserve greater deference. Conversely, if Biden is entitled to the presumption of innocence, why shouldn't Trump receive the same presumption? Either allegations deserve careful examination regardless of politics, or they do not. Either denials matter regardless of party, or they do not.

James Carville, Bill Clinton's former campaign strategist and adviser, has urged Trump critics to attend Trump rallies and shout, "Pedophile protector!" Never mind the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct — including allegations of rape and sexual assault — made against Carville's former boss.

The problem isn't that Alan Ritchson and James Carville dislike Trump. The problem is that they treat the allegation against him as unquestionably true, but the allegations against Joe Biden and Bill Clinton as either unworthy of discussion or unquestionably false.

The stench of a double standard is in the air.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. To find out more about Larry Elder, or become an "Elderado," visit www.LarryElder.com. Follow Larry on X @larryelder.

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