Op-ed: New #MeToo Iteration Has a Surprising Source

The #MeToo movement might have waned, but New York Times columnist Michelle Cottle suggests a successor movement is afoot from a surprising group. A group of staunchly pro-Trump congresswomen has become Capitol Hill's loudest force on sexual misconduct, writes Cottle. Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, and Anna Paulina Luna helped push out Reps. Tony Gonzales and Eric Swalwell after misconduct claims surfaced, and previously (along with former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene) bucked President Trump's wishes by backing the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

"Their established MAGA-ness gives them the credibility to push leadership on awkward issues," writes Cottle, dubbing the movement #Me2.0. "And they are less likely than more moderate colleagues to be dismissed as scolds or man-haters." Along with Rep. Kat Cammack and Democratic ally Teresa Leger Fernández, they're now pressing for tougher rules, faster ethics investigations, and clearer reporting channels for victims. The push comes with contradictions—notably their refusal to seriously challenge Trump's own record—and political risk inside a party that once recoiled from #MeToo. Still, with Republicans wary of appearing to shield bad actors in an election year, Cottle says these women have rare leverage to force change. Read the full op-ed.