In this week’s podcast: • Billy Porter makes history at the Emmy Awards • Arizona’s Supreme Court rules it’s fine for businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people • Democratic White House hopeful Pete Buttigieg got grumpy with the LGBTQ media • A conservative lawmaker (who opposed LGBTQ rights because Jesus) charged with possessing child pornography • Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness comes out as HIV positive All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report
During his speech before the United Nations today, Donald Trump included a mention of his administration’s previously announced plans to encourage more than 70 countries worldwide to decriminalize homosexuality. “My administration is working with other nations to stop criminalizing of homosexuality,” Trump said in a halting cadence. “And we stand in solidarity with (pause) LGBTQ people who live in countries that punish, jail and execute people based upon sexual orientation.” Gregory T. Angelo, who served as president of the Log Cabin Republicans for six years, quickly tweeted a video of Trump’s inclusion of the initiative.
.@POTUS@realDonaldTrump at #UNGA: “My administration is working with other nations to stop criminalizing of homosexuality and we stand in solidarity with LGBTQ people who live in countries that punish, jail or execute individuals based upon sexual orientation.” pic.twitter.com/U3q8Ojvlam
Thank you @realDonaldTrump for standing up for the #LGBTQ community in calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality in your speech at the @UN this morning.
The global initiative, which is reportedly being led by U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, was announced in February. This is the first time Trump has mentioned the initiative in a public speech. Angelo and his conservative LGBTQ bunch may be fawning over today’s two-sentence mention, but it’s worth noting that Trump is not the first president to mention LGBTQ issues while addressing the United Nations. That would be President Barack Obama. During an address of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2011, President Obama said, “No country should deny people their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but also no country should deny people their rights because of who they love, which is why we must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere.” Later that same year, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a full 30-minute speech regarding LGBTQ rights before the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. It was there that she famously told the United Nations delegates, “Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.” While Trump may TALK about standing in ‘solidarity’ with LGBTQ people, GLAAD’s ‘Trump Accountability Project’ just noted his administration’s 125th attack on the LGBTQ community since taking office. Just a few of those attacks are: • Filing an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to rule against workplace protections for LGBTQ Americans • Trump’s misguided ban on transgender military service members • Efforts to use ‘religious freedoms’ as a basis for legalizing LGBTQ discrimination • Announcing plans for a new policy which would allow adoption agencies to deny LGBTQ couples the ability to adopt children based on so-called “religious exemptions” So, let’s not get all cray-cray that the Donald is suddenly our full-throated advocate, ok?
Michael and I visiting a church Portofino Some news items you might have missed: • Throwback Thursday: Remembering that time Michael and I visited Portofino in 2018 and stopped by a beautiful little church (above). We were happily surprised when Michael didn’t spontaneously combust 🙂 • Tuscon.com: Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey says he’s “against discrimination in all its forms” but won’t support extending state laws to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people. He does support the recent Arizona Supreme Court ruling that allows Christian owners of a calligraphy firm to refuse to prepare wedding invitations for same-sex couples. •Sacramento Bee: The 1st District Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled that a Sacramento-area transgender man can sue Mercy San Juan Medical Center over the last-minute cancellation of his hysterectomy, overturning a lower-court ruling that dismissed the case. The patient contends his surgery was canceled due to anti-transgender bias. • Politico: White House hopeful Elizabeth Warren has announced a $10 million ad buy in early voting states. • HuffPost: Focus Features’ Downton Abbey ruled over the box office competition in North America this past weekend. The big-screen continuation of the popular British TV show beat expectations with $31 million when it debuted in 3,079 theaters, setting a new opening weekend record for the studio. • Washington Post: A new study shows 78 percent of the most influential jobs in Donald Trump’s White House have turned over during his tenure, a figure higher than those for the entire first terms of the previous four administrations. • National Voter Registration Day: President Barack Obama (and I) want to encourage you to not only register to vote, but VOTE! Check to see if you’re registered by clicking over to IWillVote.com OR text VOTER to 26797 to make sure you are registered to vote and get alerts for all your elections.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced today that Democrats were moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. “The actions of the Trump presidency revealed the dishonorable fact of the president’s betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security, and betrayal of the integrity of our elections,” said Pelosi in a statement. “Therefore, today I’m announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry.” Trump responded on Twitter saying Pelosi’s actions ‘ruined’ his great day at the UN.
BREAKING: Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “Today, I’m announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry.” “The president must be held accountable; no one is above the law.” https://t.co/E2e0WqWOBQpic.twitter.com/CRELddNf7K
Nancy Pelosi quotes Thomas Paine: “The times have found us.” “The times have found us today. Not to place us ourselves in the same category of greatness as our founders—but to place us in the urgency of protecting and defending our Constitution.” https://t.co/E2e0WqWOBQpic.twitter.com/BIP6zGSJI2
.@jonkarl on Nancy Pelosi’s announcement: “That sounded like a Speaker of the House not simply beginning the process of impeachment but deciding that this president deserves to be impeached” https://t.co/PjS2LKkNb1pic.twitter.com/W6AISkpzXJ
Such an important day at the United Nations, so much work and so much success, and the Democrats purposely had to ruin and demean it with more breaking news Witch Hunt garbage. So bad for our Country!
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell allowed (both pictured above), a voice vote in the U.S. Senate calling for the release of the whistleblower complaint received on August 12 that began the current Ukraine/Trump scandal. The non-binding resolution was approved unanimously.
That's every Senate Republican plus every Democrat now via unanimous consent agreeing to call on the Trump administration to cough up the whistleblower complaint, not just the phone call transcript. This is rare, folks.
Meanwhile, Trump tweeted that he’s already ordered the release of the “complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript” of his phone call with the Ukrainian president.
I am currently at the United Nations representing our Country, but have authorized the release tomorrow of the complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript of my phone conversation with President Zelensky of Ukraine….
….You will see it was a very friendly and totally appropriate call. No pressure and, unlike Joe Biden and his son, NO quid pro quo! This is nothing more than a continuation of the Greatest and most Destructive Witch Hunt of all time!
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.)
House Speaker Pelosi is planning to put a resolution on the House floor today to address the Ukraine scandal, amid growing calls to start the impeachment process against President Trump, according to sources. https://t.co/cqpINxo3m9pic.twitter.com/4735R25i3W
Wow — CNN put together this clip highlighting how Trump changed his public rationale for withholding aid to Ukraine from yesterday to today pic.twitter.com/25QJ8VPsnU
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.
Amy, you have nothing to be ashamed of and every reason to be proud. Living open and free is a daily act of bravery — bravery that resides in your heart and in the hearts of LGBTQ people around the world. I’m proud to have you on our team. #BiVisibilityDayhttps://t.co/mv5vyQIkAp
It takes courage to be visible, especially as our country grapples with a crisis of belonging that disproportionately affects the LGBTQ+ community. I want everyone celebrating #BiVisibilityDay to know that we see you, we are with you, and you belong.
On #BiVisibilityDay—and every day—we recommit to securing equal rights for every LGBTQ+ American until they can live openly and proudly. Everyone deserves to live without fear or discrimination. https://t.co/ZfPA9ajr1Z
Today we recognize #BiVisibilityDay, and the work that still needs to be done to end the erasure. You are valid and we will leave no one to fight alone.
You can still be fired, denied a home, barred from adopting a child in America because of who you love. On #BiVisibilityDay, we must not only fight to pass The Equality Act, but to ensure equal treatment for every single person in our country.
Happy #BiVisibilityDay! We must fight for a world not just free from fear and violence but a world where everyone can be themselves in all facets of their lives.
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.
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.
“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 Postthat 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.
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.
Tonight, you made history, @theebillyporter. And as you did it, you reminded us that there is so much more that unites us than divides us. You blazed a trail that will mean so much to so many young people who can now imagine themselves standing on that stage because of you.
• 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.
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.”
Peter Beattie says Israel Folau playing for Tonga has not been discussed.
“The RLIF has made no decision in relation to any registration request for Israel Folau. I can assure you that this has never been discussed or mentioned around the board table.”
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:
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)
In this week’s podcast: • Billy Porter makes history at the Emmy Awards • Arizona’s Supreme Court rules it’s fine for businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people • Democratic White House hopeful Pete Buttigieg got grumpy with the LGBTQ media • A conservative lawmaker (who opposed LGBTQ rights because Jesus) charged with possessing child pornography • Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness comes out as HIV positive All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report 
Some news items you might have missed: • 