Ex-RNC staffer gets more than 12 years in prison in child porn case

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

A former GOP staffer and Republican National Committee aide who admitted to being part of a ring that traded child pornography involving babies was sentenced Thursday to more than 12-and-a-half years in prison Thursday.

Ruben Verastigui, 29, received the 151-month sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta during a hearing held via video conference, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C.

Verastigui was a digital strategist for the RNC in 2017 and 2018, working on social media advertising for political committees backing former President Donald Trump, according to Verastigui’s LinkedIn page. The digital strategist also worked for the Senate Republican Conference and for a nonprofit group called Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions. An anti-abortion activist originally from San Antonio, Verastigui spoke at the March for Life in Washington in 2013, according to a video clip posted online.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/08/rnc-staffer-child-porn-case-00024031

[Miguelito Loveless]

1. Grand Old Projection Party

[Rebl2]

9. Just what

I was thinking.

[Old Okie]

2. Projection

More projection from GOP, accuse the DEMs of what you are doing.

[underpants]

5. No kidding.

Sick assholes. Babies???? God.

[Claustrum]

14. Yeah. Teenagers was bad enough. But babies????? n/t

[NCjack]

3. Who loves child porn? The GOP loves child porn.

Oh yeah, 12.5 years in prison. I hope he does every day of it.

[Midnight Writer]

6. Absolutely. He went to where the market is. He probably buys, sells and trades with his contacts.

[ZonkerHarris]

25. Republicans are the child porn party

[Sanity Claws]

4. Someone should send the article to Cruz

and ask him if that sentence was too lenient. And then throw in how the criminal is a highly visible Republican and wonder why so many Republicans are pedophiles.

[IronLionZion]

7. Gross Organization of Perverts

Gropy Old Projectors

I'm increasingly convinced GQP are the ones doing the Qanon conspiracies, abusing children, are a cult, etc. Lately they've been saying teachers who acknowledge the existence of gay people, are "groomers". So they say "OK Groomer". And Disney is mixed up in this somehow.

[KS Toronado]

22. There is no doubt the GQP is behind the Qanon conspiracies

because it benefits them at the voting booths.

[IronLionZion]

23. Always projecting. To think about it that much, they must be guilty

[Frustratedlady]

8. Well, lookee here. Doesn't RNC stand for Republican National Committee? Hmmm?

Anyone updating the list of Repukes and Democrats who have been convicted of crimes? I haven't seen it for a couple years. There should be quite a few additions and it seems a lot might involve child sex crimes. Family values and all that stuff.

Just sayin'.

[IronLionZion]

10. Since Republicans keep getting caught

it's proof that deep state is protecting Dems. Just ask Marjorie Trailor Queen

[Frustratedlady]

12. Has anyone ever explained who/what "deep state" means?

They are always accusing us of being involved, but I'm not sure if I am or not, since I can't figure out who/what DS is. I suppose Soros is part of it. The Clintons...

It must be a great relief to have a Fantasy Land to go to when you need inspiration and relaxation. They sure seem to live there a lot.

[IronLionZion]

13. First rule of deep state

is we never tell who is in deep state.

Link to tweet

[Frustratedlady]

27. Gotcha! Shhhhhhhhhh!

[Chainfire]

11. Republicans perceive perversion as freedom.

The want to protect the fetus and abuse the child. I hope that, in his time in prison, he learns how his fellow inmates feel about about sexual child abusers. It might teach the man a little humility.

[Achilleaze]

15. G.O.P. pervos everywhere

And they keep pointing their stinky fingers at everyone else, projecting their perverted shit onto other people.

Republicans need to get a grip on their dangerous and pervasive perversions.

[Novara]

16. Just another right wing moral cripple

They assume that because the GOP is full of pedophiles, the whole world is. That's why every accusation is a confession.

[whopis01]

17. Should be referred to as a "staffer", not "ex-staffer"

I realize he is an "ex-staffer" at this point. But when he was committing the crimes, he was an active, paid employee for the Senate Republican Conference.

He was employed through July of 2020 and according to his statement of offense, he was being investigated in June and it refers to specific events in April.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20987034-ruben-verastigui-statement-of-offense

Oh - and this guy is a very sick and evil person. What he was looking for (and obtaining) was the worst of the worst.

[AllaN01Bear]

18. one finger pointing out, how many pointing in ?

[ShepKat]

19. a new twitter term that explains it

#pedocons

[KPN]

21. Yup ...

[link:

Link to tweet

|

[KPN]

20. The Real Party of Pedophiles.

[LiberalLovinLug]

24. I hope someone is making a list

Obviously Democratic politicians aren't perfect. Some have run afoul. Even with this trepidatious crime.

But just from my general sense of news stories in the past 10 , 20 years, I seem to remember most involved members of the GOP. From Mark Foley with underage pages to Matt Gaetz and then this case as well.

It amazes me how well Republican voters can just BELIEVE its the Democrats who are "pro pedo", when stories like this about someone representing their party come out so frequently.

[ck4829]

26. Gross.

[Martin68]

28. Yup. Hypocrisy is the rule in the GOP

[wontbeoppressed]

29. Babies? EWWW.

That is so disgusting

[tonekat]

30. Put this on rotation for the Dems messaging.

Nah, they'd rather lose the mid-terms.