Presidential candidates know all too well the perils of failing to secure domain names related to their monikers and campaigns. TedCruz.com, for example, leads to a photo of Hillary Clinton, with the caption, "Next President of the United States of America!!!"
This time, the website in question is ClintonKaine.com. Jeremy Peter Green, a lawyer and web comic artist who uses the pen name Jeremy Pegg, bought the domain in 2011, and he's now using it to host Harry Potter-inspired fan fiction about Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine.
Green's comics feature the characters "Hillary Potter" and "Timontous Kaine," so it's not difficult to see who he's talking about. Refinery29 spoke with Green, who lives in D.C., about the inspiration behind the website.
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I feel like the Slytherins are hustlers, and that's kind of what I am.
Jeremy Peter Green, web comic artist and lawyer
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You've written other web comics in the past before this Harry Potter one. What inspired you to create fan fiction about Hillary Clinton?
"In the primaries, I had bought Republican domains, too. Like RubioCruz.com, for example…At first it wasn't going to be Harry Potter, it was just going to be sort of awkward, romantic fan fiction, political fan fiction with no real sort of fantasy theme or anything. And then I realized it would be probably funnier and more widely appealing if I made it Harry Potter fan fiction. And it was fun to write, too. I read all the books. They're good." You said you bought the domain all the way back in 2011, for $7.67. Why did you decide to buy it? How did you connect the two of them so many years ago?
"Around that time, I was in between college and law school, and I was living in D.C. I went to an event when Tim Kaine was chairman of the DNC, and he unveiled the new Democratic party logo. It was the 'D' with the circle around it. And, I don't know, I was like, This guy's all right. There was just sort of a hunch, I guess." Wow! And you've just kept it all these years.
"Yeah, I have. I actually had ClintonBiden for six years; I got that in 2010. But that didn't work out, obviously."
"In the primaries, I had bought Republican domains, too. Like RubioCruz.com, for example…At first it wasn't going to be Harry Potter, it was just going to be sort of awkward, romantic fan fiction, political fan fiction with no real sort of fantasy theme or anything. And then I realized it would be probably funnier and more widely appealing if I made it Harry Potter fan fiction. And it was fun to write, too. I read all the books. They're good." You said you bought the domain all the way back in 2011, for $7.67. Why did you decide to buy it? How did you connect the two of them so many years ago?
"Around that time, I was in between college and law school, and I was living in D.C. I went to an event when Tim Kaine was chairman of the DNC, and he unveiled the new Democratic party logo. It was the 'D' with the circle around it. And, I don't know, I was like, This guy's all right. There was just sort of a hunch, I guess." Wow! And you've just kept it all these years.
"Yeah, I have. I actually had ClintonBiden for six years; I got that in 2010. But that didn't work out, obviously."
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If I got a big enough sum from this website, I'd really be able to go whole hog with the solo practice and the pro bono stuff.
Jeremy Peter Green, web comic artist and lawyer
”
Why are you charging $90,000 for the domain? Do you have a plan for what you would do with the money if someone made the offer?
"I honestly don't have too much money right now…so as long as I have the domain, I want to see what I can get for it. And I'd like to start my own solo practice and be able to do tenants' rights projects here in D.C., and other pro bono stuff — sex worker rights, sick leave and employment law stuff for workers here. If I got a big enough sum from this website, I'd really be able to go whole hog with the solo practice and the pro bono stuff." Do you think that Clinton and Kaine would agree with your assessments of them as a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff, respectively?
"You know, yeah. I mean, every politician, almost every politician, probably sees themselves as a Gryffindor…And then Tim Kaine, I don't know how much he's read the books, but the Hufflepuffs are sort of the most morally sound people...they're genuine people. So, I think he would probably agree."
"I honestly don't have too much money right now…so as long as I have the domain, I want to see what I can get for it. And I'd like to start my own solo practice and be able to do tenants' rights projects here in D.C., and other pro bono stuff — sex worker rights, sick leave and employment law stuff for workers here. If I got a big enough sum from this website, I'd really be able to go whole hog with the solo practice and the pro bono stuff." Do you think that Clinton and Kaine would agree with your assessments of them as a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff, respectively?
"You know, yeah. I mean, every politician, almost every politician, probably sees themselves as a Gryffindor…And then Tim Kaine, I don't know how much he's read the books, but the Hufflepuffs are sort of the most morally sound people...they're genuine people. So, I think he would probably agree."
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I don't know how I could write about politics without using humor. It's just sort of second nature to me.
Jeremy Peter Green, web comic artist and lawyer
”
Which house do you consider yourself a member of?
"I don't know. Probably Slytherin. I'm a lawyer and a domain squatter. I feel like I have a knack for side projects…I feel like the Slytherins are hustlers, and that's kind of what I am. So I guess I identify with them." What is the broader message behind your site, in terms of money and politics? What do you hope the site will achieve?
"I guess I hope people just enjoy reading it, and maybe check out my web comic…But there's no real broader message, besides the sort of obvious pro-Hillary, anti-Trump bent." Would you vote for Hillary in November, since you've said in the past that you're a socialist?
"Yeah, I'm a Hillary supporter…I plan to volunteer in the fall." Why is it important for you to bring humor into the election cycle?
"That's just something I've always done, since I was little…I don't know how I could write about politics without using humor. It's just sort of second nature to me, I guess." Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
"I don't know. Probably Slytherin. I'm a lawyer and a domain squatter. I feel like I have a knack for side projects…I feel like the Slytherins are hustlers, and that's kind of what I am. So I guess I identify with them." What is the broader message behind your site, in terms of money and politics? What do you hope the site will achieve?
"I guess I hope people just enjoy reading it, and maybe check out my web comic…But there's no real broader message, besides the sort of obvious pro-Hillary, anti-Trump bent." Would you vote for Hillary in November, since you've said in the past that you're a socialist?
"Yeah, I'm a Hillary supporter…I plan to volunteer in the fall." Why is it important for you to bring humor into the election cycle?
"That's just something I've always done, since I was little…I don't know how I could write about politics without using humor. It's just sort of second nature to me, I guess." Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.