Category: News

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Pelosi To Announce Formal Impeachment Inquiry Today

CNN is reporting that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi plans to put a resolution on the House floor today to address the current Donald Trump/Ukraine scandal.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning to put a resolution on the House floor tomorrow to address the Ukraine issue amid growing calls to start the impeachment process, sources said.

What that resolution will specifically say is still being worked out. In fact, a Democratic leadership aide said key committees are working on the language now.

A source adds Pelosi wants to do this before Thursday when Joseph McGuire, the acting director of National Intelligence, comes to the House Intelligence Committee in hopes of pressuring him to reveal the details of the whistleblower complaint.

Separately, CNN is told that Pelosi is telling members she thinks this issue is understandable for the American public, and they get it. (This is critical since her whole thing has been public support.)

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Which Presidential Candidates Recognized Bi-Visibility Day?

Since 1999, September 23 has been recognized as Bi Visibility Day which highlights the history and achievements of the bisexual community as well as the challenges of biphobia and bisexual erasure. According to the Williams Institute, studies indicate that approximately 50 percent of people who identify as either gay, lesbian or bisexual, identify as bisexual, making the bisexual population the single largest group within the LGBTQ community. But bisexual people are often excluded from LGBTQ spaces and are invisible to each other which can make the journey of living authentically incredibly daunting. Several Democratic presidential candidates took to social media throughout the day to affirm the bisexual community and acknowledge some of the challenges they face. Check out the messages from former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, former HUD Secretary Julián Castro and businessman Tom Steyer.

Interestingly, Sen. Bernie Sanders and entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who both skipped the GLAAD-sponsored LGBTQ Forum in Iowa last week due to ‘scheduling conflicts,’ did not seem to acknowledge Bi-Visibility Day in their social media. More ‘scheduling conflicts?’ For more information about bisexuality, visit the Human Rights Campaign’s website here.  

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Trump Admits He Froze $400 Million In Promised Aid To Ukraine

NBC News reports Donald Trump has admitted to freezing nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine.

And in doing so, has come up with a new rationale for pressing the country to investigate Joe Biden and his son.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday confirmed reports that his administration froze nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine. But he gave a new reason for doing so: He said he wanted European countries to contribute money, too, and did not want the U.S. to do so alone.

The freeze came before a July phone call in which he reportedly pressured the Eastern European nation’s leader to investigate the family of political rival Joe Biden.

“As far as withholding funds, those funds were paid,” Trump said. “They were fully paid. But my complaint has always been — and I’d withhold again, and I’ll continue to withhold until such time as Europe and other nations contribute to Ukraine because they’re not doing it.”

“Very important, I want other countries to put up money,” he added. “I think it’s unfair that we put up the money. Then other people call me. They said, ‘Oh, let it go.’ And I let it go. But we paid the money, the money was paid.”

Trump was responding to reporting by the Washington Post that Trump instructed his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, to withhold nearly $400 million in promised military aid a week before the Donald spoke to the Ukrainian president.

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News Round-Up: September 23, 2019

Tom Welling will resprise his role as Clark Kent in upcoming 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' crossover on 4 Arrowverse series Some news items you might have missed: • Deadline: Hunky Tom Welling (above – image via FB) will reprise his Smallville role of Clark Kent for the upcoming mega-crossover ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ on The CW. Two more former Supermen, Tyler Hoechlin and Brandon Routh, will also take part in the 5-part story arc which will unite the entire Arrowverse series franchise – Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman. • The Advocate: A federal judge has ruled that an anti-LGBTQ church, D. James Kennedy Ministries based in Florida, can be labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as a matter of free speech. SPLC lists the church as a hate group “because it maligns the entire LGBT community, portraying it as perverted and a threat to the nation.” • Twitter: Two of my favorite tweets today come from Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden. In the first, he congratulates Billy Porter on his historic win last night at the Emmy Awards. In the second, Joe gets his message across in a single sentence.

• Bloomberg Business: At $28 billion so far, the farm rescue is more than twice as expensive as the 2009 bailout of Detroit’s Big Three automakers, which cost taxpayers $12 billion. Plus, an August survey by Purdue University and the CME Group, 58% said farmers anticipate another round of trade aid next year. • Billboard: Streaming music continues to grow in popularity. According to Nielsen Music, there have been 505.5 billion on-demand audio streams in 2019 so far. That’s up 23% compared to the same time a year ago: 409.6 billion year-to-date through the week ending Sept. 13, 2018. • Capitol Weekly: Tracking poll in California shows Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) leading the current pack of Democrats in the Golden State with 29% support; Sen. Bernie Sanders is at 21% support and former Vice President Joe Biden lands in 3rd with 18% support.

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Fired Homophobe Says He’s Returning To Rugby

Will Israel Folau be allowed to return to professional rugby after being fired for homophobic social media posts?

Will Israel Folau be allowed to return to professional rugby after being fired for homophobic social media posts? Rugby player Israel Folau, whose contract was terminated in May for multiple homophobic social media posts, appears to be set to return to the game. CNN reports that the Tonga National Rugby League (TNRL) announced Folau had been cleared to play for the Tonga national team at the upcoming Oceania Cup next month. In a press release, TNRL said both Folau and his 24-year-old brother, John, who already represents Tonga, “have registered to play league through the TNRL and are eligible to play in international rugby league fixtures.” Folau added, “I don’t want to bring any of my personal matters into this and I am grateful that the RLIF have endorsed my availability. What I will do now is focus on playing great rugby league and do my talking on the field.” However, the Oceania Cup is run by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) which would have to approve the decision. RLIF has publicly stated they have “not been formally asked to consider the matter.”

Folau was one of Australia’s highest-paid athletes before being sacked for social media posts that declared homosexuals are destined for Hell. Just one of the posts that still remains on his Instagram:

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Those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him. _______________ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these , adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19‭-‬21 KJV _______________ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38 KJV _______________ And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Acts 17:30 KJV _______________

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After being accused of breaching the player’s code of conduct, the 30-year-old was dismissed from the Wallabies by Rugby Australia. He’s currently locked in a legal battle with Rugby Australia as he has filed suit seeking AUS$10 million ($7 million US). Folau maintains he was unfairly fired for “practicing his religion.” He attempted to raise AUS$3 million from fans through a crowdfunding campaign, but GoFundMe terminated the campaign saying they do not “tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion.” The Australian Christian Lobby, an extreme religious group, stepped in to help Folau raise over $2 million to fund his legal battles. (source: CNN)

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Trump On Call With Ukraine: ‘It Was A Perfect Conversation’

Donald Trump has called his conversation with the president of Ukraine wherein he pressed the foreign leader to investigate Joe Biden, a 'perfect' conversation.

Donald Trump has called his conversation with the president of Ukraine, wherein he pressed the foreign leader to investigate Joe Biden, a 'perfect' conversation. Surrogates for Donald Trump were out this morning defending the Donald’s phone call with the president of Ukraine which the Wall Street Journal asserts Trump pressed his Ukrainian counterpart 8 times to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden. Via Reuters:

Joe Biden has called on Trump to disclose the transcript of his conversation with Zelensky so “the American people can judge for themselves.”

When asked about releasing the transcript, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told ABC News that “those are private conversations between world leaders and it wouldn’t be appropriate to do so except in the most extreme circumstances.”

The intelligence community inspector general has described the whistleblower’s August 12 complaint as “serious” and “urgent,” conditions that would normally require him to forward the complaint to Congress. Trump has characterized the complaint as “just another political hack job.”

From Politico:

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Sunday that allegations that President Trump elicited dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden, a 2020 White House hopeful, during a phone call with Ukraine’s leader are merely speculation.

“I think things are being implied that just don’t exist,” Mnuchin said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Tapper on Sunday pressed Mnuchin on why the White House is withholding information.

“Conversations with foreign leaders are supposed to be confidential,” he said, adding that it would be a “terrible” precedent to release the details. No evidence has emerged to suggest Biden acted with his son’s interests in mind in regards to his dealings with Ukraine.

Trump told reporters today that his conversation with the president of Ukraine was, of course, ‘perfect:’

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Trump Whines About ‘Ukraine Witch Hunt’ To Protect ‘Sleepy Joe’

More details have come to light about Donald Trump’s unusual phone call wherein he reportedly pressed the president of Ukraine 8 time to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden or Trump would withhold previously promised military aid. From the Washington Post:

When President Trump spoke on the telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in late July, the Ukrainians had a lot at stake. They were waiting on millions in stalled military aid from the United States, and Zelensky was seeking a high-priority White House meeting with Trump.

Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart that his country could improve its image if it completed corruption cases that have “inhibited the interaction between Ukraine and the USA,” according to a readout of the call released by Kiev.

What neither government said publicly at the time was that Trump went even further — specifically pressing Ukraine’s president to reopen a corruption investigation involving former vice president Joe Biden’s son, according to two people familiar with the call, which is now the subject of an explosive whistleblower complaint.

Trump, of course, took to Twitter to denounce what he now calls the ‘Ukraine Witch Hunt.’

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News Round-Up: September 20, 2019

Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Can we talk about the massive thighs (above) of hottie Dan Tai? That represents a whole lotta leg days… #dang • ESPN: Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy pens a personal essay explaining how he landed his new role on American Horror Story: 1984, and how quickly he felt the LGBTQ community was quick to ‘cut him down.’ • Twitter: Looking fabulous at 50, Jennifer Lopez closed out the Versace Spring 2020 show in Milan in a reimagined version of her iconic 2000 Grammy dress. #YouBettaWalk

• Medium: Democratic presidential hopeful Mayor Pete Buttigieg shares his thoughts as a gay military veteran on the 8th anniversary of the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.’ • Media Matters: Anti-LGBTQ lawyer Kristen Waggoner told Fox News that policies protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination are bad for business. In reality, more than 160 leading businesses support federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, and the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies have inclusive policies. • Washington Post: Making an apparent reference to transgender women, HUD Secretary Ben Carson expressed concern about “big, hairy men” trying to stay in women’s homeless shelters during an internal meeting. Carson also lamented that society no longer seemed to know the difference between men and women, two of the agency staffers said. • New Music: “Memories” marks the first new music from three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning band Maroon 5 since the release of their global anthem “Girls Like You” in 2017. Singer and songwriter Adam Levine said about the new track: “In an ever-increasingly crazy world, let’s just carve out one moment to think of those we love and share the memories of the ones we’ve lost.”

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News Round-Up: September 19, 2019

Gus Kenworthy and Emma Roberts in American Horror Story: 1984 Some news items you might have missed: • American Horror Story: Who caught last night’s debut of the #ThrowbackThursday worthy American Horror Story: 1984 featuring out Olympian Gus Kenworthy (above)? • CNN: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and businessman Andrew Yang will not be taking part in either the LGBTQ Forum in Iowa tomorrow night or the CNN Town Hall on LGBTQ issues on October 10. Sanders has a town hall in North Carolina on September 20, and both campaigns site ‘scheduling conflicts’ for the October Town Hall. • Business Insider: A new poll shows only 13 percent of Americans would support the US joining Saudi Arabia in a military conflict as part of a response to a recent attack on two major Saudi oil fields. • ABC News: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized Thursday afternoon for photos from years ago showing him dressed in blackface and brownface. “This is something I deeply, deeply regret,” he told reporters, adding that wearing blackface is “always unacceptable because of the racist history of blackface. I should’ve understood it then, and I should have never done it.”

• OUT: Officials at a Russian university reportedly threatened a student with expulsion after an investigation – revealing he has a pink phone case – aroused suspicions he is gay. • Reuters: Yikes! Indonesia is poised to pass a new penal code that criminalizes consensual sex outside marriage. Under the proposed law, unmarried couples who “live together as a husband and wife” could be jailed for six months or face a maximum fine of 10 million rupiah ($710), which is three months’ salary for many Indonesians. • LA Times: In an early victory for Donald Trump, a federal judge ordered a temporary injunction Thursday against California’s first-in-the-nation law requiring candidates to disclose their tax returns for a spot on the presidential primary ballot. • New Music: DJ Gryffin (who is heading to my town of Las Vegas this weekend for the Life Is Beautiful Festival) releases his latest collaboration, “Baggage,” featuring UK synth-pop duo AlunaGeorge. A strong hook, hypnotic rhythms, and sleep house production make for a worthy addition to the 31-year-old’s catalog.

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Why Have Networks Stopped Reporting On LGBTQ Issues?

(photo credit: Pexels/Rosemary Ketchum)

(photo credit: Pexels/Rosemary Ketchum) Taking a look at the media coverage of LGBTQ issues over the past ten years, the folks at RealClearPolitics (RCP) noticed a disconcerting trend. Crunching the numbers from the Internet Archive’s Television News Archive, it seems the mention of the word “gay” or “gays” on cable news networks like CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC has dropped dramatically. Check out the graphic via RCP below. While the topic of gay rights was a mainstay in the daily news cycle during the Obama administration, thanks in great part to the fight for marriage equality, since the 2016 presidential election “gay” or “gays” have become almost nonexistent on cable news networks. The researchers considered that the networks might have shifted to using other terms – like LGBTQ, LGBT, lesbian, queer, or transgender – in recent years. But, looking at the numbers, there wasn’t a big difference when factoring in those terms. Perhaps the interest in gay rights has simply waned in the past three years? Could that be the issue? Using Google Trends, the data shows lots of internet searches regarding LGBTQ issues since Trump’s inauguration. Media Fellow Kalev Leetaru at RCP suggests that “a very mediagenic presidency has bombarded outlets with so many newsworthy stories that historically important topics like LGBTQ issues have been displaced from the news cycle.” Certainly, that’s a possibility. Donald Trump and his administration have tended to ‘suck up all the oxygen’ in the daily news cycle on a regular basis. Earlier this year, NewNowNext and Media Matters for America took a look at the number of LGBTQ stories during Pride Month on major news networks including CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, and PBS. Considering it was the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, there was an expectation of decent coverage, no? In the end, Media Matters called the reporting “shallow and sparse,” especially in light of the fact that LGBTQ Americans make up approximately 4.5% of the U.S. population according to Gallup. For LGBTQ representation to reach a level of 4.5% of newscasts, Media Matters determined CNN and MSNBC would need to increase coverage by a factor of five. And NBC and Fox News would need to ramp up queer reporting to 11-15 times what was televised during Pride Month. It’s also worth noting that among the three Democratic primary debates so far, there’s been scant mention of LGBTQ issues. One of the few LGBTQ-centric moments among the debates was Mayor Pete Buttigieg sharing his coming out story as an example of learning to trust his constituents. Hopefully, the dearth of attention to these issues will be addressed (at least to some degree) when the Human Rights Campaign Foundation presents its LGBTQ town hall event, Power of Our Pride, to be co-hosted by CNN on October 10 beginning at 7pm ET. Touted as “the largest-ever audience for a Democratic presidential town hall devoted to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) issues,” HRC says the event will “mark the first time in history that a major cable news network will air a presidential event devoted to issues of importance to the LGBTQ community.” Nine of the eleven qualifying candidates have now confirmed their participation: former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Cory Booker, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Secretary Julian Castro, Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Amy Klobuchar, former Representative Beto O’Rourke, Businessman Tom Steyer and Senator Elizabeth Warren. Each candidate will get 30 minutes alone on stage with a moderator to answer questions from the audience. Both Senator Bernie Sanders and Businessman Andrew Yang reportedly received invitations, but have not confirmed at this date. Additionally, ten Democratic candidates (Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Julián Castro, Tulsi Gabbard, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Sestak, Elizabeth Warren, and Marianne Williamson) — will take part in an LGBTQ forum Friday night (September 20) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The event, sponsored by GLAAD, One Iowa, The Gazette and The Advocate, will be hosted by transgender actor Angelica Ross (POSE), and will be the first time such an event has taken place since November 2007. (info & graphics via RealClearPolitics – lead image via Pexels/Rosemary Ketchum)