The Associated Press reports that by mid-afternoon on Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists had received 700 donations online, and $60,000 in total. CPJ’s communications associate Mehdi Rahmati told the AP that this is an unprecedented amount, as the organization generally receives only a “handful of donations” over most nights. Rahmati added, “And people are still reaching out.”
CPJ is dedicated to documenting worldwide violations on the free press, reporting when journalists are jailed and taking action on their behalf. According to the AP, CPJ has said that the last year was the worst on record for journalist imprisonment. The U.S. does not currently jail journalists, but it isn’t hard to imagine a reality in which it does under our incoming president.
Speaking of him, Donald Trump was expectedly furious after Streep’s appeal and called her “over-rated” on Twitter. But! Trump actually used to be a big fan, and probably had his feelings hurt. In 2015, The Hollywood Reporter asked him who his favorite actresses were. Guess who made the list?
Julia Roberts is terrific, and many others. Meryl Streep is excellent; she’s a fine person, too. The problem is I’ll name three or four or five and then the hundred that I know will be insulted, and I don’t mean to insult them.
Somehow, this shout out did not influence Streep’s political leanings.
