53 Comments
User's avatar
Kirby Sommers's avatar

I was hoping you'd do a follow-up on Jessica Reed Kraus b/c when she responded to your original post she mentioned she also cited me. Again, a false flattery attempt. I was immediately sent a screen image of a tweet of mine she'd posted on one of her hate-filled rants with an unsubstantiated, unsourced and untrue quote from someone who had RT'd me some years ago.

Btw, she's pally-wally with a former convict on X. A man named George Tonks whose NUTS and on whose behalf she wrote an entire article. Tonks was at one time Maria Farmer's bestie - and Maria is known for being somewhat off.

Re: her mentioning your nonexistent "books" -- seems she got flustered and may have simply subbed me for you b/c I've written several.

Kate's avatar

I used to follow her on Instagram during the Gabby Petito saga. It’s how JRK got her start. Then I noticed that she seemed to have a lot of issues with people, a lot of ethical concerns (including a woman known as Emilie Knows Everything). I had to unfollow. I found something about her gross and unseemly.

DBB's avatar

2 words: copyright infringement. Sue the millionaire mommy blogger to recover ill-gotten gains.

Andrew Dolgin's avatar

The Real Housewives of Swamp Psy-op

Isn’t it curious how exactly Kraus got into contact with Tartaglione? And how she also claims to have a “Maxwell source” on top of that? Interesting portfolio of contacts in her network. Israeli interesting.

I’m sure she’s a totally organic figure with no artificial boosting by Substack or anybody else. Suggesting otherwise would be most rude. I do wonder how she feels as an “America First” patriot about Bibi “I own the United States” Netanyahu and his Likud party leadership of our Greatest Ally.

But I couldn’t be sure her opinion on him would be her own work, if you understand me.

Mari's avatar

Have you considered legal counsel? Plagiarism is a crime and this phony should be exposed. She monetized your content. JRK is also known for plagiarizing content from smaller content creators on Instagram. She also publicly doxxed former employees, published private medical info and legal documents including minors (check @emilieknowseverything and @denisebovee on IG)

NothingButNet's avatar

Nice post, Michael. You were quite dignified in your hope that she would come clean, but in my 70 years of life experience it always seems that once a person is a cheater, that never changes. We have all been forewarned by you regarding her dishonest tendencies, for which I am grateful.

Shelby's avatar

She and a few other influencers were invited to a meeting with Netanyahu.. so I’m sure they were offered money. Many believe that’s how she’s #2 on substack. I’m sure it’s all a coincidence lol.

Clive's avatar

Can confirm that JRK is one of the “pre-picked” authors when you sign up as a reader on Substack. Really interested to know how one ends up in such a privileged position, but I’m sure it’s all entirely merit-based and above board

Implausibly Convenient Alibi's avatar

Good for you. Did I call it or what?

Honestly she's exhausting. I wonder how long women like Tulsi and Pam, who have put in the real work, are going to keep her around.

Shelby's avatar

She was only one of the people who got a binder: she hasn’t had access to the White House in the same way as she did previously. Not sure what happened but would love to know,

BookWench's avatar

I thought this was funny:

"I am still steadfastly uninterested in learning what a 'Mommy Blogger' is. . . "

Brick's avatar

Not me. I need to know everything. Seems clear she has at least one kid. If not, that would be plagiarism’s pinacle don’t you think?

Beyond that, I cannot say.

BookWench's avatar

Michael's phrasing frequently cracks me up.

Erin McBride's avatar

She’s a carpetbagger

Lisa Jackson's avatar

You nailed Jessica 100%. I am 1 of many whom she has blocked on IG for calling her out as well. Funny part is I had commented on a Christian-based IG acct who had her on their podcast because JRK is all of a sudden is looking into Christianity. The concern I expressed was that week prior, she was getting her 11y/o at tarot reading and shopping for voodoo dolls.

Something else to take into account, there's a number of other women who are writers here on substack who over the years wanted to work with her and reached out. I have read their accounts about how they would discuss certain topics, only later to find - verbatim - Jessica would lift their DMs and plop it right into her own content without ever citing or crediting the people she was talking to.

On the topic of her "money", there's been a high level of speculation as to who actually funds her. Can it be all from substack? I've heard the names Daphne Barak, Mark Cuban & Peter Thiel. I personally had a recent DM exchange with Lady Victoria Hervey on the topic - specifically asking about Daphne's funding HIH, as LVH went on IG saying she was done with Daphne. (The 3 of them were all recently cavorting in Italy) LVH basically said Daphne doesn't have any money and that JRK makes "way more than Daphne". I don't see how it can all come from substack, because all I see about Jessica, is her clamoring for more $8 subscriptions and "exclusive" paid chats. I am highly suspicious of where she gets her funding.

Shelby's avatar

Yeah I just realized that from my comment on here she blocked me as well from her page.lol I try to click on it and pops up an X. 😆😆😆

MCakes's avatar

I doubt Mark Cuban would have any interest in funding a MAHA trumptard. But there are plenty of dark money groups with tentacles everywhere looking for content creators like her to help the unpopular Repubes win elections despite their awful agenda. Also, Kraus was at a Peter Thiel party. Rockbridge - an org cofounded by JD Vance and funded by Thiel, Rebekah Mercer, and maybe others probably pays her.

Lisa Jackson's avatar

If I recall, it was Thiel's NYE party on his yacht. With all of the HIH auto-subscribe nonsense on substack, it wouldn't surprise me that she's in bed there. When I read the DM that "Jessica makes way more than Daphne".... Like I get it that all those socialites most likely don't have a pot to piss in, but there's got to be more to the story about who's really funding Jessica. I've seen the posts where she's begging for venmos, selling crappy merch, and shilling for subscriptions/fireside chats that end up going nowhere. Oh and her HIH office in Laguna Beach that she's speculated to be living out of as well. And how she's on the campaign trail traveling on her "own dime". I don't believe one "nuanced or curated" word from her.

MCakes's avatar

I'll just add that I could be totally wrong about Mark Cuban. I just thought he was anti-Trump but who really knows.

Lisa Jackson's avatar

Take it with a grain of salt, but I saw on Reddit someone said Cuban was funding her Laguna Beach office. It's anyone's guess at this point, but someone will eventually dig up the truth.

Kerry Crawford's avatar

This woman is a manipulative liar. One day her blatant grifting will all catch up to her. Over the past couple of years she has built a platform of people who are not her fans by blocking them as soon as they question her motives. “Curiosity is not a crime”???(slogan on her merch)…unless you question her. That article in The New Yorker was clearly a puff piece to try and save her reputation which had a recent hit from what she said about the Epstein victims. She initially claimed to want to bring this country together and stop the division, yet she was very calculating about curated a following of mostly conservatives(by blocking any other voice that questioned her) while sharing misinformation to this cult-like following and stating that everyone else other than Fox News was fake news. Turns out - she didn’t even vote for Trump (because she “was too busy”), a man she will not say a bad word about. It’s madness!

MCakes's avatar

The 'Curiosity is not a crime' slogan is rich, coming from one of the least curious people I've ever seen. She doesn't have an original thought. It's all marching orders from whoever hired her to push an agenda. She's not a writer. She is a picture and music editor. A mood board creator. Anyway she can't be bothered to write anything that requires using actual sources, research and coherent thought. Takes too much time when you're peddling disinformation.

Lisa Jackson's avatar

I will also state on Jessica's wonky state of financing -- during one of her box wine meltdowns from earlier this year, she cursed out and blocked PAID subscribers for calling her out. They would have to repeatedly email her requesting their refunds and then they'd get another barrage of cursing from her, then finally get their refunds.

Tiggers Mom's avatar

I’m still trying to get mine.

Lisa Jackson's avatar

Woah seriously? How many times have you requested your refund? You'd think substack would've been inundated with complaints about her by now.

Tiggers Mom's avatar

They recommended me email her. So I have. Several times. I just keep forwarding the same email.

Tiggers Mom's avatar

I have been in touch with them. They finally were able to unsubscribe me on their end. But I’m still getting a notification on my bank account that I’m being charged . I think it’s around $7.00 a month. Since March.

Lisa Jackson's avatar

Maybe you can start fighting the charges with your bank or credit card company? Show them call the cancelled emailed requests. The lady that runs the houseinhorror ig account keeps the receipts of this stuff too.

Brick's avatar

Poor Mommy Blogger. Continually harassed by the disheveled journo, the serial interrupter.

Maybe she can appeal to her new Buddy “Scam Blondi” (1) to haul him in on some Trumped up hate speech charge?

$20Mil a year eh? Is she a single Mommy Blogger?

(1). Lara Loomer. (see, I didn’t plagiarize. How hard was that?)

atown's avatar

I read the JRK reply to Mr. Tracy. Later I noticed that I was subscribed to 10+ accounts, including hers, of which I had no knowledge and to which I hadn't subscribed.