Author: Randy Slovacek

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Experimental HIV Vaccine By Johnson & Johnson To Begin Human Trials

Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson will soon begin testing an experimental HIV vaccine in the U.S. and Europe sometime this year, according to Bloomberg News.

Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson will soon begin testing an experimental HIV vaccine in the U.S. and Europe sometime this year, according to Bloomberg News.

The experimental vaccine, described as a “mosaic-based preventative immunization,” is made up of four components that target several strains the HIV virus.

The vaccine utilizes an altered cold virus to create a group of “mosaic” proteins that will elicit immune responses to a variety of strains.

Approximately 3,800 men who have sex with men are expected to take part in the trial expected to begin later this year. The participants will receive a series of six shots in four sessions.

Dan Barouch, a Harvard Medical School professor who has worked on the vaccine for years, told Bloomberg the J&J vaccine has provided protection in up to two-thirds of tested animals.

Results from the human trials are expected as soon as 2023.

Additionally, another version of the mosaic vaccine is currently being tested across five countries in southern Africa. Some 2,600 women are enrolled in that study called “Imbokodo.”

According to J&J, “Imbokodo” is the Zulu word for ‘rock’ which is part of a well-known proverb in South Africa that refers to the strength of women and their importance in the community.

Results from Imbokodo are expected in 2021.

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Cop Fired For Mocking Gay Teen Suicide Hired By New Police Department

Police officer Jeff Graves (screen capture via WHNT)

A police officer in Alabama who resigned amid controversy after mocking the suicide of a gay teen has been rehired just two months later.

Nigel Shelby, a 15-year-old high school student, took his own life in April after having been the target of homophobic bullying.

Nigel Shelby (image via Facebook)

Jeff Graves, while working as a Madison County Sheriff’s Deputy, commented on a story posted to Facebook about Shelby’s death writing:

“Liberty, Guns, Bible, Trump, BBQ – That’s my kind of LGBTQ movement. I’m seriously offended there is such a thing such as the movement. Society cannot and should not accept this behavior. I have a right to be offended by this fake movement which requires no special attention but by persons with an altered ego and fake agenda.”

Local news station WHNT19 reports Graves was initially suspended, and eventually resigned in early May.

But two months later, Graves has now been hired as an Owens Cross Roads police officer.

When contacted by WHNT, Owens Cross Roads Police Chief Jason Dobbins acknowledged being aware of Graves social media controversy and defended the hiring saying, “Everyone deserves a second chance.”

Declining to speak on camera, Dobbins told WHNT over the phone that Graves had expressed remorse for the controversial Facebook post.

The police chief said that he was “confident” that Graves would be able to serve all citizens in Owens Cross, including the LGBTQ community.

“Officer Graves may not have the same views as everyone else, but that doesn’t prevent him from doing his job as an officer,” Dobbins told NBC affiliate WAFF. “He’s going to make a great addition to our department.”

He added that all of Graves’s interactions with the public would be recorded on police body cameras.

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Labor Secretary Alex Acosta Resigns Amid Epstein Controversy

Former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta

The New York Times reports that R. Alexander Acosta, his embattled secretary of labor, will resign following controversy over a lenient plea deal he made with Jeffrey Epstein when he was a prosecutor in Florida.

Donald Trump made the announcement as he left the White House for travel to Milwaukee and Cleveland.

Mr. Trump said Mr. Acosta called him this morning and that it was Mr. Acosta’s decision to resign.

Trump continues to moan about how poorly Acosta has been treated over a 12-year-old case.

But, you don’t hear him expressing concern for the allegedly victims in the Jeffrey Epstein case.

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Another Same-Sex Couple Denied Services For Their Wedding

Another wedding vendor has denied services to a same-sex couple for their upcoming nuptials.
Angel Lane and fiancee Tiffany Allen (via Facebook)

Another wedding vendor has denied services to a same-sex couple for their upcoming nuptials.

Angel Lane and her fiancée Tiffany Allen have plans to get married this October in Las Vegas.

In making plans for what to wear for the big occasion, they reached out to fashion brand D. Auxilly in New York City, specifically regarding a $1,500 jumpsuit.

The couple reached out to designer Dominique K. Galbraith about ordering the clothing.

But Galbraith refused to take the order after hearing the couple were lesbians. She said whipping up a wedding outfit for a same-sex wedding violated her Christian faith.

In an email, Galbraith wrote:

“I wouldn’t be able to make a piece for a same-sex wedding. It goes against my faith in Christ. I believe Jesus died for our sins so that we would live for him according to His Holy Word. I know you both love each other and that this feels right but I encourage you both to reconsider and see what the Lord has to say and the wonderful things He has in store for you both if you trust and obey Him.”

She added that she would “be available to talk and share more about Jesus if you’d like. Feel free to call me.”

Speaking to Metro, Allen said, “I hurt because I didn’t feel good enough.”

“A person who truly has that heart will tell you that God doesn’t make any mistakes,” she added. “I’m not a mistake. My fiancée is not a mistake.”

Since sharing their story on social media, the couple say many designers have reached out with offers to provide for their wedding ceremony.

It’s important to note that Lane and Allen live in Missouri where there are no public accommodation laws to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

However, Galbraith’s business is located in New York state which most certainly does prohibit turning away business due to anti-LGBTQ bias.

Metro reports Tiffany and Angel are filing now filing a formal complaint against D Auxilly, and are also considering taking a lawsuit against the company.

Galbraith reportedly hung up the phone without comment when contacted by Metro.

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House Votes 242-187 To Reverse Trump Military Trans Ban

Trans airman Logan Ireland

The House of Representatives has approved amendment to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act that would reverse Donald Trump’s ban on transgender military service members.

The measure, known as the ‘Harry Truman’ amendment, passed by a vote of 242-187. Ten Republicans joined the full Democratic caucus in approving the amendment.

The sponsor of the amendment, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), said, “Over the last three years, 14,000 transgender service members have served openly and successfully.”

The congresswoman also noted that “all five service chiefs affirmed they do not hamper lethality or cohesion.”

The nickname for the amendment references the 1948 executive order by President Harry Truman which desegregated the military.

The measure would require the military to consider gender-neutral occupational standards as well as military occupational specialty in weighing potential applicants.

However, such consideration “may not include any criteria relating to the race, color, national origin, religion, or sex (including gender identity or sexual orientation) of an individual.”

Additionally, the amendment calls for ensuring “equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed forces, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, and sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation).”

The ban, which took effect in April, was announced in July 2017 via tweet by Donald Trump. According to multiple reports, the announcement took military leaders by surprise.

Last month, the Senate passed its own version of the defense authorization bill, which does not include the ‘Harry Truman’ amendment language.

Once the House finishes its work on the defense bill, members of both chambers will meet in conference to come to final agreement.

Don’t hold your breath on the GOP-led Senate approving the amendment without a fight.

(h/t Washington Blade)

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Trump To Abandon Citizenship Question On Census, Will Seek Info By Other Means

Donald Trump

CNN reports that Donald Trump will back down from his push to have a question regarding citizenship on the 2020 census.

Instead, he’ll issue an executive order asking the Commerce Department to obtain the citizenship info he wants through other means.

These people said Trump is expected to table his effort to add a question about citizenship status to the 2020 census, setting aside his demands last week to continue pursuing the issue despite a Supreme Court order blocking it.

Trump tweeted Thursday morning he would be holding a press conference in the Rose Garden in the afternoon about “the census and citizenship.” Attorney General William Barr will participate in the event, according to Justice Department spokesperson Kelly Laco. The Justice Department declined further comment on the details of the planned announcement.

The Supreme Court late last month blocked a citizenship question from being added to the 2020 census. The bitter controversy centers around whether the administration can ask all recipients a citizenship question on the 2020 census for the first time since 1950 — a move that could impact the balance of power in states and the House of Representatives, which are based on total population.

Opponents say adding the citizenship question could discourage undocumented immigrants from answering the questionnaire.

That could, in turn, produce lower population counts. And those counts are used to apportion congressional districts, as well as determine where federal funds are used.

More from the New York Times:

Government experts have predicted that asking the question would cause many immigrants to refuse to participate in the census, leading to an undercount of about 6.5 million people.

That could reduce Democratic representation when congressional districts are allocated in 2021 and affect how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending are distributed.

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Rosie O’Donnell On Donald & Ivanka: “I Think He’s Been Doing Bad Things With Her”

Rosie O’Donnell (image via Instagram)

During an interview segment with SiriusXM host Michelangelo Signorile, Rosie O’Donnell shared her thoughts on Donald Trump’s relationship with his daughter Ivanka, as well as Ivanka’s ‘public service’ working in the White House and a possible future run for president.

“I don’t know what he’s doing with her,” said O’Donnell “I think he’s been doing bad things with her for a very long time. There’s a creepy incest feel that is a very prevalent amongst Donald Trump and his children, at least his daughter. Very creepy. I don’t know.”

“I think she’s like, you know, a talentless, non-intelligent, non-powerful woman. And, I think she’s…it’s laughable to think of her in any kind of public service role. No one in his family has ever been in public service. Why should they start now?”

Rosie doesn’t cite any particular instance between Trump and his daughter, although many in the public square have noted various statements by the Donald about his daughter that seemed to step into queasy territory.

Listen to the clip below.