Author: Randy Slovacek

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Article Of Impeachment Will Be Delivered To Senate On Monday

The article of impeachment passed in the House will be delivered to the Senate on Monday
Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York (D)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Friday that the Senate will receive on Monday the article of impeachment against Donald Trump for inciting the riot on the U.S. Capitol, clearing the way for the start of Trump’s second impeachment trial. From the Washington Post:

“It will be a full trial; it will be a fair trial,” Schumer said during remarks on the Senate floor. Shortly after his comments, Pelosi released a statement confirming the timing.

The House impeached Trump on a single article of “incitement of insurrection” for his role in the Jan. 6 takeover of the Capitol by a violent pro-Trump mob.

“Make no mistake, there will be a trial, and when that trial ends, senators will have to decide if they believe Donald John Trump incited the insurrection against the United States,” Schumer said.

Read the full article here. In similar remarks, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told reporter, “Just because he’s now gone — thank God — you don’t get to say to a president, ‘Do whatever you want in the last months of your administration. You’re going to get a “get out of jail” card free because people think we should make nice-nice and forget that people died here on January 6.'”

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Biden Beats Trump With Higher Inaugural TV Ratings

L-R Donald Trump, Joe Biden (screen capture, campaign photo)
First Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Joe Biden, then the Electoral College, now – gasp – the TV ratings. From the New York Times:

President Biden’s inaugural address on Wednesday attracted about a million and a half more viewers than tuned in for Donald J. Trump’s inaugural speech four years ago, according to preliminary data from Nielsen.

Nearly 40 million people watched Mr. Biden’s address on the major cable news stations and the three big broadcast networks. In 2017, 38.3 million viewers watched his predecessor’s first speech as president, the Nielsen data shows.

CNN was the ratings leader, drawing roughly 10 million viewers from roughly 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., when Mr. Biden took center stage. Only 2.7 million watched Mr. Biden’s address on Fox News, the lowest of the major networks and a sharp reversal from four years ago, when nearly 12 million viewers tuned in to Mr. Trump’s preferred cable news network.

Of course, we’ve also seen reports that Trump was irked that Hollywood turned out bigly for the Biden inaugural with such stars as Lady Gaga, JLo, Garth Brooks, Katy Perry, John Legend, Bruce Springsteen, Demi Lovato, Tom Hanks and more. Every time a star showed up during either the swearing in ceremony or the Inaugural Concert last evening, my hubby Michael would remind me of Trump’s ‘galaxy of stars’ – Scott Baio, reality contestant Jackie Evancho and Lee Greenwood.

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News Round-Up: January 21, 2021

Dozens of Broadway performers took part in 'Seasons of Love' at the Biden Inaugural Concert

No presidential pardon for the Tiger King plus dozens of Broadway performers took part in 'Seasons of Love' at the Biden Inaugural Concert
Broadway at the Biden Inaugural Concert
Some news items you might have missed: • CNN: Out news anchor Shep Smith has broken his silence about his departure from Fox News. Now at CNBC, Smith says he stayed as long as he did in order to try and counterbalance the misinformation coming out of the right-leaning network. • Broadway at the Inaugural: I was thrilled to see this beautiful collaboration debut during last night’s Biden Inaugural Concert (above). I know several folks in this but five I have longtime ties with: Tony Award winners Betty Buckley, Chita Rivera, and Leslie Uggams, as well as Tony Award nominees Vanessa Williams and Charlotte d’Amboise. Charlotte gives you LIFE dancing in the center during the last minute. #LovedIt

• Outsports: 39 current NFL players on 22 teams say they have already had an out gay teammate, including six players with the Arizona Cardinals. • Instinct Magazine: Tiger King star Joe Maldonado-Passage (a.k.a Joe Exotic) truly believed Donald Trump would issue him a presidential pardon on his last day in office. The Tiger King was so sure the pardon was coming he had a limo standing by to pick him up at the prison.

• HuffPost: An 18-year veteran police officer, most recently with the Houston Police Department, stormed the U.S. Capitol and then tried to cover his tracks by deleting photos from inside the rotunda and lying about his conduct. • Twitter: First Lady Dr. Jill Biden shares her first video message thanking service members, first responders, civil servants.

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Out Music: Kisos ‘He Didn’t Want Me’

Out singer/songwriter Kisos releases new single 'He Didn't Want Me'

Out singer/songwriter Kisos releases new single 'He Didn't Want Me'
Kisos in ‘He Didn’t Want Me’
Out singer/songwriter Kisos drops his new music video, the guitar-driven ‘He Didn’t Want Me.’ For Kisos, the video is as much cinema as it is real life – a rebirth after a difficult few years dealing with heartbreak, self-hatred, and loneliness. In an ethereal ritual of communal love, Kisos transforms physically and spiritually right before our eyes in order to truly come to the acceptance the song is about. “‘He Didn’t Want Me’ is about the acceptance stage of grief, and because it’s lyrically so depressing, I wanted to balance that with an uplifting, ethereal ritual of rebirth,” says Kisos. “It was important for me to also honor the symbolic hands of friends and family who cared for me at my lowest points. People who helped me shed my self-hatred, allow love and beauty back in, and re-internalize that I am worthy.” Cinematographer Adam Ouellette and Kisos filmed 100% by candlelight, staying up all night for the sunrise scenes that close the metamorphosis out. The music video is the final release from his sophomore EP, sweet nothings, where each song corresponds to a different stage of grief. Atwood Magazine described Kisos’s work as “suave pop that comes to life…in a dizzying array of musical color.” And Billboard calls the new music video “another beautiful layer to the star’s already heart-rending song.” The single is available on all digital download sites now. Check out the new music video below.

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McConnell Asks To Delay Trump’s 2nd Impeachment Trial

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (image via Facebook)
From the New York Times:

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, told senators on Thursday that he planned to ask Democrats to delay the start of former President Donald J. Trump’s impeachment trial until early February to allow Mr. Trump’s legal team time to prepare a defense, according to a person familiar with his remarks.

The proposal emerged as Mr. McConnell and Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the incoming majority leader, haggled privately behind the scenes over the timing and structure of the proceeding and Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused again to say when she would transmit the impeachment charge to the Senate, thus prompting the start of the trial.

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Biden Signs EO Prohibiting LGBTQ Discrimination In Federal Agencies

President Biden has issued a proclamation recognizing June 2024 as LGBTQ Pride Month.

President Joe Biden signs executive order prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination in all federal agencies
President-elect Joe Biden
Just hours after taking the oath of office, President Joe Biden signed 17 executive orders including one prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination in all federal agencies. The first paragraph of the executive order states, “All persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.” The order instructs the head of each agency to “review all existing orders, regulations, guidance documents, policies, program or other agency actions” that prohibit sex discrimination to revise and amend such policies to include banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The order cites the Supreme Court ruling for Bostock v. Clayton County which was handed down on June 15, 2020. The 6-3 decision found that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation because such animus is a form of “sex discrimination” which is clearly prohibited under the Civil Rights Act. In the seven months since the ruling, the Trump administration chose to not implement the ruling. That inaction was consistent with most of the Trump administration’s policies regarding LGBTQ rights and protections.

Biden’s executive order is more expansive than just the Bostock ruling, however. The order notes that, under Bostock’s reasoning, “laws that prohibit sex discrimination — including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Fair Housing Act, and section 412 of the Immigration and Nationality Act — prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, so long as the laws do not contain sufficient indications to the contrary.” Biden also addresses how discrimination can often overlap with other forms of prohibited discrimination including animus based on the basis of race or disability. The language specifically notes that “transgender Black Americans face unconscionably high levels of workplace discrimination, homelessness, and violence, including fatal violence.”

The executive order is a great start – especially seeing our new president addressing LGBTQ concerns on his first day on the job. But the order will have limitations in that some civil rights legislation doesn’t name sex as a protected class. That makes the passage of the Equality Act, which would expand all federal civil rights laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity protections. Biden has promised to sign the Equality Act, which would add LGBTQ protections to existing federal civil rights laws, into law within his first 100 days. But the impending second impeachment trial of Donald Trump may slow things down a bit. The Senate Judiciary committee, which would oversee the Equality Act bill, is the same committee now tasked with the impeachment proceedings. Additionally, Senate Democrats will need ten Republican colleagues to vote in favor of the bill since there’s the 60 vote threshold required to close debate and move to a vote. Jen Psaki, the new White House press secretary, told the Washington Blade that President Biden plans on issuing an executive order in the next few days that would reverse the Trump administration’s ban on military service by transgender Americans. Other executive orders signed Wednesday reversed Trump’s Muslim travel ban, stopped construction of the Mexico border wall, and rejoining the Paris climate agreement.

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History Made As Buttigieg Begins Transportation Secretary Confirmation

Pete Buttigieg

Transportation Secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg
Pete Buttigieg during his Senate confirmation hearing
In a moment of quiet history making, Pete Buttigieg – the first out gay nominee for a Cabinet secretary position – began his confirmation hearing with the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee by thanking his husband for his support. “I’d like to take a moment to introduce my husband Chasten Buttigieg, who is here with me today,” said the Transportation Secretary nominee with Chasten sitting nearby. “I’m really proud to have him by my side.” “I also want to take this chance to thank him for his many sacrifices and his support in making it possible for me to pursue public service.” Many on social media noted how seeing a gay Cabinet nominee introduce his husband would have meant a lot to them growing up. By the way – for those wondering, Buttigieg’s committee appearance went VERY well. #Forward

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Obama, Bush & Clinton Come Together For Message Of Unity

Three previous presidents came together for a message of unity as Joe Biden became the 46th president
L-R Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama (screen capture)
Three past presidents – Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush – came together to celebrate the inauguration of Joe Biden and delivered a message of unity. Via CNN:

“We have got to not just listen to folks we agree with, but listen to folks we don’t,” said Obama. “One of my fondest memories of the inauguration, was the grace and generosity that President Bush showed me, and Laura Bush showed Michelle.”

“I’m glad you’re there. And I wish you well,” Clinton said in his message to Biden. “You have spoken for us today. Now you will lead for us. And we’re ready to march with you. Good luck, God bless you.”

“I think the fact that the three of us are standing here talking about a peaceful transfer of power, speaks to the institutional integrity of our country,” Bush said during the taped message. “America’s a generous country, people of great hearts. All three of us were lucky to be the president of this country.”

Bush added: “Mr. President, I’m pulling for your success. Your success is our country’s success. God bless you.”

Sad to know that Donald Trump couldn’t bring himself to part of this message of unity. At several turns he could have chosen to take a high road. But he did not. For years we’ve heard how Trump grew up in Queens wanting desperately to be accepted by the folks in Manhattan. Then he wanted to be accepted by Hollywood. Had he accepted the true results of the election and honored tradition, he could have been a part of this very exclusive presidents club. Now? It will never happen.

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News Round-Up: January 20, 2021

lawn boy with no Donald Trump yelling

A photo of the meme lawn boy with no Donald Trump yelling (but the Proud Boys are turning on Trump) Some news items you might have missed: • New Day: I thought a lot about the right image to lead this news round-up today. After years of the popular meme of the lawn boy being yelled at by Donald Trump, today – no yelling. #AndExhale #PoofHesGone • LGBTQ Nation: Antony J. Blinken, Joe Biden’s nominee for Secretary of State, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in his confirmation hearing that he will enact policies that will allow American embassies to support and protect LGBTQ rights around the world by flying the rainbow flag. • LA Times: The FBI raided the Huntington Beach apartment of openly-gay far-right extremist Kristopher Dreww, who boasted on social media about attending the invasion of the U.S. Capitol. No arrest took place but undisclosed items were removed from the residence. • Meidas Touch: Bette Midler has a message for Donald Trump. I’m so happy to wave ‘so long dearie’ to the Trump years in the White House, but how could I not post this?

• Washington Post: Donald Trump had imagined a showy military send-off, however only a modest crowd of a few hundred loyalists showed up at Joint Base Andrews to see him off. The event had more of a feel of a county fair than a big-budget extravaganza. In a Trumpian twist, the music that played as he ended his remarks was the Village People’s “YMCA,” a singalong staple from his boisterous political rallies. • New York Times: The Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group who were staunch supporters of Donald Trump, have begun to turn on the Trumpster calling him “weak” and “a total failure.” • The Daily Beast: As it became clear that Trump was not, in fact, going to suddenly appear and order the arrest of all the Democrats, QAnon believers – like the Proud Boys – also began to wonder if they had been tricked.

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Hump Day: Meet The Latest Royal Hottie

Royal hottie Arthur Chatto

Royal hottie Arthur Chatto
The latest royal hottie, Arthur Chatto (image via Instagram)
Step aside, Prince Harry – there’s a new royal hottie on the scene. The interwebs are crushing big time on Queen Elizabeth’s grand nephew, Arthur Chatto, and it’s easy to see why. The grandson of Princess Margaret, the Queen’s younger sister, Chatto is 26th in line to the British throne. In his Instagram bio, the 21-year-old notes he holds two World Record titles – one as part of the youngest team to row around Great Britain and a second as the youngest person to do so. Chatto, along with his rowing team, is currently raising money in support of the British Red Cross and COVID-19 frontline workers. The buff heartthrob studies geography at University of Edinburgh and works as a personal trainer.
Royal hottie Arthur Chatto
(image via Instagram)
EOnline notes that in addition to all those activities, young Arthur (Art to his mates) is also “a burgeoning fashion expert and influencer, as an official ambassador for Elliot Brown Watches and the mountaineering apparel brand Jöttnar.” As you can see, the young royal keeps busy. Since it IS Hump Day, let’s get to know the hottie a bit better by perusing his Instagram which is basically packed with impressive physical feats. https://www.instagram.com/p/CHJQSUpBdbZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/CHJQxNUBvfT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/CHJWuXPBx1i/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/CLkTbxbLf9w/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/CNMxKw3I7_L/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link https://www.instagram.com/p/CS8q_omNJqu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link