Odious and Cerberus: An American Immigrant's Odyssey And His Free-Speech Legal War Against Smithsonian Corruption

Odious and Cerberus: How a Painting Rejected by the Smithsonian's Kim Sajet of the President Triggered a Smithsonian Scandal, a DOJ Purge, and a Cultural Reckoning

What if one painting could expose the partisan fault lines of America’s most prestigious museum—and set off a chain reaction reaching the White House?

In Odious and Cerberus, I reveal the true story behind the portrait of President Trump that Kim Sajet, then-Director of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, refused to hang—a rejection not just of art, but of the values and visibility of tens of millions of Americans. That rejection, buried for years, became the flashpoint that eventually drew the attention of the President himself.

The irony? For eight years, the Department of Justice defended Sajet and the Smithsonian against all legal and ethical scrutiny. But by 2025, the tide turned. A purge of partisan federal employees began—led in part by Ed Martin, the former radio host who interviewed me about this very book and is now a senior DOJ official tasked with rooting out ideological bias in public institutions.

During that national broadcast, I discussed Kim Sajet by name, the Portrait Gallery’s agenda, and the broader implications of political gatekeeping in federally funded art. Soon after, President Trump stated publicly that “many people” had brought concerns about Sajet to him.

I was one of them.

Inside this book:

• The firsthand account of my painting’s rejection by Kim Sajet—and why it mattered

• The legal and political fallout that followed

• A deep dive into the Smithsonian legal enigma: who actually controls America’s cultural institutions?

Odious and Cerberus is the story of how one act of censorship became a national tipping point, and how the same Department of Justice that once protected the gatekeepers now leads the charge to remove them.

“...a funny, revealing, and entertaining story of one man’s struggle against overwhelming odds.” Laurence Jarvik, Film Director and author of the expose’- ‘PBS: Behind The Screen’

“Julian Raven’s Odious and Cerberus is as timely a book as can be.” Dr. Richard Von Sternberg, Evolutionary Biologist

“Your work is brilliant, no wonder the Smithsonian stiffed you!” Bill Donohue, The Catholic League

“Anyone who enjoys David & Goliath stories should read Julian Raven’s Odious and Cerberus.” Scott Douglass Gerber, Professor of Law at Ohio Northern University and author of, among other books, A Distinct Judicial Power: The Origins of an Independent Judiciary, 1606-1787

“Julian tells an epic tale of a vision quest...part Odysseus, part Don Quixote...” Jim Boden, Professor emeritus, Coker College, South Carolina

"Julian Raven is an 18-wheeler crashing through our timorous barriers. Odious and Cerberus is a forceful love letter to America.” Ashok Panikkar, Founder, Meta-Culture, Thinking and, Human Engagement

“Bold!, Entertaining!... Raven’s love for God and country are inspiring!” Dr. Cary Shaw, Head of School at Twin Tiers Christian Academy, Breesport, New York