IHIP News Episode Summary

Title: MAGA Influencers Charged with Heinous Crimes Against Children as Trump Stays Silent
Host/Author: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Release Date: May 12, 2025

Introduction In this compelling episode of IHIP News, hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan delve into a series of alarming criminal charges against prominent MAGA influencers. The discussion highlights a disturbing pattern of behavior among certain individuals within the MAGA movement, juxtaposed against the backdrop of former President Trump's notable silence on these matters. The hosts utilize a mix of investigative commentary and sharp humor to engage listeners, pointing to specific cases that underscore their concerns about the direction of the MAGA base.

Key Cases Highlighted

1. Minnesota State Trooper Jeremy Francis Plonsky

   • Timestamp: [02:15]
   • Summary: The episode begins with the arrest of Minnesota State Trooper Jeremy Francis Plonsky, charged with producing a video depicting the sexual abuse of an infant. The hosts emphasize Plonsky's active presence in the MAGA movement, noting his social media posts that include images of an assassination attempt on Trump and references to QAnon conspiracies.
   • Notable Quote:
     "Proving that, Number one, he's MAGA. Number two, he's probably knee deep in all of this QAnon stuff and he produced a video of himself sexually abusing an infant." ([02:30])

2. White Supremacist arsonist at Social Justice Center

   • Timestamp: [05:50]
   • Summary: The discussion shifts to a white supremacist arrested for burning down a social justice center dedicated to training figures like Rosa Parks. The absence of federal domestic terrorism charges is criticized, suggesting a double standard in law enforcement responses.
   • Notable Quote:
     "The angry, homophobic, racist white man is a very dangerous space in America." ([06:10])

3. Christian Mega Maga Pastor Daniel Merrick

   • Timestamp: [09:20]
   • Summary: Daniel Merrick, a Christian pastor affiliated with the MAGA movement, has pled guilty to possessing nearly 700 child sex abuse images. The hosts highlight the lack of media coverage on his case, contrasting it with the minimal attention given to similar crimes within right-wing media outlets.
   • Notable Quote:
     "These guys, these sex offenders got due process. And I support the due process for these horrific criminals that commit horrific crimes against children." ([09:45])

4. MAGA Border Protection Officer Scott Rocky

   • Timestamp: [13:05]
   • Summary: Scott Rocky, a MAGA-affiliated border protection officer, faces charges for hoarding over 4,000 images of child sexual abuse. The connection between his online MAGA promotion and his criminal activities is underscored as a recurring theme among MAGA supporters.
   • Notable Quote:
     "When he gets to do bad shit, they see it as, oh yeah, we can do bad shit too." ([13:30])

5. MAGA College Safety Officer Accused of Child Rape

   • Timestamp: [16:45]
   • Summary: Another alarming case involves a MAGA college safety officer arrested for possessing a video of a four-year-old being raped. The host draws parallels between the officer's aggressive online rhetoric against Trump and the concealment of his heinous crimes.
   • Notable Quote:
     "The louder they speak about their homophobia or how badly they want to protect children, oftentimes they're masking something that they are guilty of." ([17:10])

6. Louisiana Pastor Shane Wiggins

   • Timestamp: [20:30]
   • Summary: Shane Wiggins, a Louisiana pastor known for his staunch pro-Trump and anti-LGBTQ stance, is arrested on child rape charges after evading police for months. The hosts criticize the selective outrage within the MAGA community, noting the disparity in treatment between white offenders and marginalized groups.
   • Notable Quote:
     "This is just... this is a massive problem that seems to have a niche in the MAGA movement." ([21:00])

7. White Supremacist Gang Member Cody McCollum

   • Timestamp: [24:50]
   • Summary: Cody McCollum, described as a repeat violent offender and white supremacist gang member, faces multiple charges for child rape. The lack of media and political attention to his case is highlighted as indicative of systemic biases favoring MAGA-aligned individuals.
   • Notable Quote:
     "He certainly won't be shipped to El Salvador for the simple fact that he's white and his ideology aligns with the Trump regime." ([25:15])

8. Christian Chaplain Douglas Kata

   • Timestamp: [28:10]
   • Summary: Douglas Kata, a Christian chaplain trained at Liberty University, is sentenced to six months in prison for possessing child sexual abuse content. The hosts critique Liberty University's hypocritical stance on sexual morality, pointing to past scandals involving faculty.
   • Notable Quote:
     "When you try to control people's thoughts and you tell people that sex is bad and sex is shameful starting at a very young age... the aftermath is..." ([28:35])

9. MAGA Church Volunteer Kevin Hurley

   • Timestamp: [31:05]
   • Summary: The final case discussed involves Kevin Hurley, a MAGA church volunteer arrested for raping two children. His social media activity, which accuses drag queens of grooming children, is used to illustrate the diversionary tactics employed by MAGA supporters to deflect attention from their own misconduct.
   • Notable Quote:
     "This man was solely focused on the imaginary problem of drag queens being obsessed with children." ([31:30])

Analysis and Insights

Jennifer and Angie offer a critical analysis of the intersection between extremist behavior and the MAGA movement. They argue that the pattern of criminal activities among MAGA influencers is both alarming and underreported, attributing this silence to a protective media bubble surrounding the movement's figures. The hosts draw attention to the systemic issues within the MAGA base that enable such behaviors to persist unchecked.

Notable Quotes:

• "There's no reason to believe that children are in danger at drag shows... However, there is tons and tons and tons of evidence that children are abused in churches."
  ([32:10])
• "These people have been indoctrinated at a very young age. They need psychological deprogramming."
  ([33:25])

Conclusions

The episode concludes with a stark warning about the dangers posed by the MAGA movement's extremist elements. Jennifer and Angie emphasize the need for societal awareness and systemic changes to address and mitigate the influence of individuals within the movement who engage in criminal activities. They call for continued vigilance and the illumination of these issues to prevent further harm.

Final Notable Quote:

• "We need to keep our light shining on the dysfunction and the darkness that lives in this MAGA cult because it is dangerous, it is disturbing."
  ([35:50])

Closing Remarks Jennifer and Angie reiterate the importance of due process for all accused individuals while condemning the systemic biases that shield MAGA influencers from accountability. They encourage listeners to stay informed and engaged, advocating for transparency and justice in addressing these critical issues.

Disclaimer:
This summary is based on the transcript provided from the IHIP News podcast episode titled "MAGA Influencers Charged with Heinous Crimes Against Children as Trump Stays Silent." The information presented reflects the perspectives and statements made by the host during the episode and does not constitute an endorsement or verification of the claims discussed.