Author: Randy Slovacek

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GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen supports repeal of DOMA

A Republican congresswoman from Florida known for holding pro-LGBT views said earlier this week she supports marriage equality, making her the first GOP member of Congress to hold that view.
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the only Republican co-sponsor of legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, confirmed on Tuesday she supports same-sex marriage after remarks she delivered at the launch of Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry at the Capitol Hill Club in D.C.
Asked by the Washington Blade whether she’s a supporter of same-sex marriage in addition to backing DOMA repeal, Ros-Lehtinen initially expressed confusion about why the question was being asked, saying, “I don’t know why you’re asking that. It’s such a weird way.” But she later affirmed she’s a supporter of marriage equality.
“Oh, yeah, I am,” Ros-Lehtinen said. “I thought you were trying to get some tricky thing here. No I am.”
Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, commended Ros-Lehtinen for speaking out in favor of marriage equality and said it would help other Republicans do the same.
“Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is a champion in the fight for full LGBT equality,” Cole-Schwartz said. “Her willingness to be a leader in the Republican Party on LGBT issues, including becoming the first Republican member of Congress to embrace marriage equality, is opening the way for other Republican officials to speak out.”
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Romney: Did he leave Bain Capital in 1999 or later?

So the issue is this: Mitt Romney has said he left Bain Capital in February 1999. Now, SEC documents show him to have stayed on as CEO of Bain for approximately three more years.

This matters because Romney has said all the things that happened (like outsourcing jobs and bankrupting companies) after 1999 when he said he wasn’t with the company weren’t his responsibility. But now, maybe they were since he is shown on company documents showing he was still CEO.

What it comes down to is: did Romney lie on SEC documents to protect his own investments and money? Or is he lying to the US public now?

Things that make you go “hmm…”

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Celebrating Friday the 13th

Let’s see, how to celebrate Friday the 13th….

How about featuring one of the stars of the “Friday the 13th” movies who somehow gets even better looking with age?

How about Russell Todd of “Friday the 13th Part 2″….?

Yeah, life’s not fair.  But he’s sure nice to look at.

And that’s about as “Friday the 13th” as I get.  Celebrate folks!

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Reuters announces opposition to anti-gay Minnesota amendment

Thomson Reuters is the latest company to announce that it’s opposing Minnesota’s proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

In an e-mail to employees, the highest two ranking executives headquartered in Minnesota (Mike Suchsland, President of Thomson Reuters Legal, and Rick King, COO, Technology) wrote that the amendment would hurt their ability to attract employees to work in Minnesota. Thompson Reuters is headquartered in New York and Westlaw, formerly West Publishing, is a subsidiary in Eagan.

“We believe the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, if passed, would limit our ability to recruit and retain top talent,” the e-mail said. “For this reason, we do not believe that the Amendment would be good for Thomson Reuters or the business community in the state.”

Thomson Reuters has 7,900 employees in Minnesota. In the e-mail, company officials also noted that the company’s position is a “business decision” and that “as a news organization, Thomson Reuters is dedicated to upholding our Trust Principles and does not advocate political or religious positions.”

The company’s announcement comes just weeks after General Mills announced that it would oppose the amendment. It has also sparked a debate over whether the amendment would hurt or help the state’s business climate.

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Baltimore Sun Editorial endorses marriage equality

From the editorial in the Baltimore Sun:

As a practical matter, the referendum will decide a narrow question. Because the Court of Appeals has ruled that Maryland must recognize gay marriages performed in other states, all that really is at stake is whether same-sex couples who wish to make a lifelong commitment can be legally joined in a civil marriage ceremony performed in the state, or whether they have to travel a few miles down the road to the District of Columbia.

The philosophical question posed by the referendum, though, is of great significance. Are all Maryland families entitled to the same protections under the law? Are all children, no matter who their parents are, entitled to the same kind of support?

We think they should be, if for no other reason than that it’s important for Maryland to be a welcoming place for families of all kinds. The only reason the state is involved in marriage at all is that strong marriages make strong families, and strong families make strong communities. That’s true whether the couples involved are gay or straight. The Episcopal Church has recognized this fact; it’s not the first denomination to do so, nor will it be the last. We hope that this November, Maryland voters will come to the same conclusion and vote to support marriage for all.

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Ryan Seacrest confirms JLo’s American Idol departure

Just one day after Steven Tyler announced he was leaving “American Idol,” host Ryan Seacrest has confirmed that Jennifer Lopez will also be departing the show’s panel.

“Just confirmed with @JLo she’s made up her mind…will leave idol. 🙁 gonna miss her,” he tweeted.

Lopez’s rep and Fox have not responded to requests for comment.

I haven’t watched the show in years, personally.  My TV watching tends to drift after a few seasons of anything.