Giuliani's Past Reveals Authoritarian Streak That Previewed Today's Threats to Free Expression
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Giuliani waged war on the Brooklyn Museum in 1999, threatening to shut it down over an art exhibit he objected to on dubious grounds. This presaged current GOP attacks on free speech and "offensive" art.
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Giuliani brought back enforcement of an archaic 1926 "cabaret law" that restricted dancing in bars and clubs. This was used to target minority groups.
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Giuliani was criticized at the time as an authoritarian and "hubris-rotted cop-brain.” His cultural attacks showed his national political ambitions.
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Giuliani reportedly asked for the 2001 mayoral election to be canceled after 9/11 so he could stay in power, foreshadowing his 2020 election denialism.
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Many now claim Giuliani has fallen from grace, but his past actions showed he was always an authoritarian demagogue. His MAGA tendencies predated Trump.