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Trump Withdraws His Nomination Of GOP Rep For Intelligence Dir. Amid Conflicts In Resume

Rep. John Ratcliffe (L), Donald Trump (R)

Donald Trump is reversing course on his nomination of Texas Congressman John Ratcliffe (R) for Director of National Intelligence after reports of alleged resume padding and questions about his lack of intelligence experience.

From the New York Times:

President Trump on Friday abruptly dropped his plan to nominate Representative John Ratcliffe, Republican of Texas, as the nation’s top intelligence official, following bipartisan questions about his qualifications and pushback over whether he had exaggerated his résumé.

Mr. Ratcliffe, an outspoken supporter of Mr. Trump, has come under intense scrutiny since the president declared Sunday on Twitter that the lawmaker was his pick to succeed Dan Coats, who is stepping down as director of national intelligence on Aug. 15. The selection generated scant enthusiasm among senators of both parties who would have been decided whether to confirm him.

Mr. Trump’s announcement that Mr. Ratcliffe would not be his nominee after all, also made on Twitter, spoke bitterly of the attention Mr. Ratcliffe’s claims about his experience as a federal prosecutor quickly received from the news media.

Trump has demonstrated a pattern of ‘picking’ nominees for appointments without any vetting other than liking the person. He told Yamiche Alcindor of PBS News that he lets the press do his vetting for him because it’s “much cheaper.”

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Half Of House Democratic Caucus Now Supports Impeaching Donald Trump

Half of House Democrats now support impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (L), Donald Trump (R)

From Buzzfeed News:

The gradual trickle of Democrats coming out in support of beginning impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump reached a milestone Thursday, with half of the Democratic caucus now publicly supporting it.

The inquiry would spur an investigation by the Judiciary Committee, which would determine if there is enough evidence to draft articles of impeachment.

Rep. Pete Aguilar of California was the most recent member to voice support of impeachment proceedings, which, according to a BuzzFeed News analysis, raises the count to 118, half of the Democratic caucus.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi continues her call for investigations to continue and maintains she will call for articles of impeachment when she feels House Democrats have their “strongest hand” to move forward.

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North Carolina Gov. Signs Executive Order Prohibiting Use Of State Funds For ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (image via Instagram/NC_Governor)

It may not be a full ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has signed an executive order that prohibits state tax funds from being used for the harmful practice on LGBTQ children in his state.

Conversion therapy, also called ‘ex-gay therapy’ by some, is the dangerous practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Conversion therapy has been widely denounced as discredited pseudoscience by leading professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.
Executive Order No. 97 blocks medical/mental health providers who receive state or federal funds allocated to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services from using those funds for ‘ex-gay’ therapy on minors.

The EO made note of statistics from The Trevor Project indicating 42% of gay, lesbian and bisexual teens who undergo the discredited practice attempt suicide. And 57% of transgender minors who are subjected to conversion therapy have made suicide attempts.

In a statement on the executive order, Gov. Cooper said, “State taxpayer money shouldn’t be used for a practice on children that major medical associations agree is harmful and ineffective. Conversion therapy has been shown to pose serious health risks, and we should be protecting all of our children, including those who identify as LGBTQ, instead of subjecting them to a dangerous practice.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign, 18 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico ban conversion therapy for minors.

The Trevor Project issued a statement commending Cooper “for taking decisive action to highlight the dangers of conversion therapy.”

“While his executive order is a great first step in protecting North Carolinian youth, we must continue to push for comprehensive protections,” said Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project.

Brinton included a call to action asking the North Carolina state legislature “to take up legislation to stop licensed practitioners from violating the ethical guidelines of their profession, and harming the most vulnerable youth in the Tar Heel State.”

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Trump Promises To End AIDS Epidemic ‘Shortly’

President Trump made some surprising announcements at his Thursday night campaign rally in Ohio, promising to put astronauts on Mars, end the AIDS epidemic and cure childhood cancer “very shortly.”
Donald Trump (screen capture)

President Trump made some surprising announcements at his Thursday night campaign rally in Ohio, promising to put astronauts on Mars, end the AIDS epidemic and cure childhood cancer “very shortly.”

“We will come up with the cures to many, many problems to many, many diseases including cancer, and others, and we’re getting closer all the time,” Trump told rally attendees. “We will eradicate AIDS in America, and we’re very close. We will lay the foundation for landing American astronauts on the surface of Mars.”

“The things we’re doing in our country today, there’s never been anything like it,” the Donald continued. “We will be ending the AIDS epidemic shortly in America, and curing childhood cancer very shortly.”

Now, these are certainly worthy goals. But for a president who seems to doubt science more than embrace it, the path to achieving these goals isn’t entirely clear.

After all, this is the man who declared the noise from wind turbines “causes cancer.”

Let’s take a look at the issue of HIV/AIDS.

In his 2019 State of the Union address, Trump announced he would end all HIV transmission in the U.S. by 2030. The president didn’t elaborate on how he would achieve that goal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are over 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States, including 38,700 new infections in 2016.

While appreciating good intentions, it’s worth noting what Trump has actually done regarding the fight against HIV/AIDS since taking office.

• He proposed cutting funds to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

• His administration suggested moving $5.7 million from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program to address immigration at the U.S. southern border.

• The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) was dormant for over a yearafter former members quit or were fired in January 2018.

• Trump has also ordered HIV+ soldiers to be discharged under his “Deploy or Get Out” policy announced in 2018.

In light of the above, you’ll pardon me for being a teensy bit skeptical about his new ‘promises.’

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Klobuchar Becomes 8th Democratic Candidate To Qualify For Next Debates

Sen. Amy Klobuchar

NBC News reports eight of the current Democratic presidential contenders have qualified for the next round of debates coming up in September.

Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota is the latest to meet the increased donor threshold her campaign said early Friday morning. She had previously reached the higher polling qualification of polling at least 2 percent in four major surveys.

Pundits predict the current field of Democrats could be cut in half by debate time rolls around.

In addition to Klobuchar, the other seven candidates to qualify are:

• Former Vice President Joe Biden
• New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker
• Mayor Pete Buttigieg
• California Sen. Kamala Harris
• Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke
• Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
• Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren

According to NBC News, it may have been what Klobuchar didn’t do in this week’s debate that stood out and that was to avoid attacking her opponents by name or take part in the ‘bloodsport’ that some resorted to.

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Manhattan DA Revives Investigation Into Trump Payments To Stormy Daniels

Manhattan DA Revives Investigation Into Trump Payments To Stormy Daniels

The saga of Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels is not over.

From the New York Times:

State prosecutors in Manhattan subpoenaed President Trump’s family business on Thursday, reviving an investigation into the company’s role in hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to people briefed on the matter.

The subpoena, issued by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, demanded the Trump Organization provide documents related to money that had been used to buy the silence of Stormy Daniels, a pornographic film actress who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump.

The inquiry from the district attorney’s office, which is in early stages, is examining whether any senior executives at the company filed false business records about the hush money, which would be a state crime, the people said.

The prosecutors say they are also looking at payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who said she had an affair with the Donald.

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One Million Moms Rants About Drag Queen Story Hour At Whole Foods

Bigoted anti-LGBTQ group One Million Moms (really just 94k) is throwing a new temper tantrum, this time aimed at Whole Foods Market for hosting a Drag Queen story hour.

In an email to their supporters, the group moans about the retailer who “once promoted organics and clean food” saying the upscale grocer is now “saturated in absolute filth, exploiting America’s children to be ‘groomed’ by drag queens.”

Pointing to a Drag Queen story hour held in Atlanta, Georgia, One Million Moms calls the events an attempt to “indoctrinate children into transgenderism and homosexuality” and “to normalize the LGBTQ lifestyle.”

The group is equally mad at Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for having the nerve to endorse the “disturbing” events.

OMM may try to paint a picture of “child exploitation,” but the fact of the matter is the events have been hailed across the country for encouraging children to get more involved in reading.

The drag queen aspect works because children have no preconceived ideas about bigotry or judgement, and allow their imaginations to take flight during the story hours.

And when you think of it, where does OMM’s get off trying to deny a child learning about being fabulous?

Personally, this just makes me want to go spend money at my nearest Whole Foods Market.

FYI – those so-called ‘one million moms’ have generated just barely 7,000 signatures on their sad little petition.

So, there you go…

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Aquaman Comes Out As Queer In New ‘Young Justice: Outsiders’

(screen capture via Young Justice: Outsiders)

In a new episode of DC Universe’s Young Justice: Outsiders, the character of Aquaman is shown swimming up to his boyfriend Wynnde, a member of the underwater court of King Orion, and delivering a smooch.

The character – whose real name is Kaldur’Ahm – was once known as Aqualad but has since taken up the mantle of Aquaman in the series.

Young Justice, which chronicles the adventures of teenage superheroes and sidekicks, originally ran on Cartoon Network for two seasons from 2010 to 2013 but was cancelled due to low toy sales by partner Mattel.

Fan outcry plus strong viewership on Netflix reruns prompted DC Comics to revive the series this year via its newly-launched streaming platform, DC Universe.

For decades comic books have led the way in terms of LGBTQ representation from the X-Men (whose characters are seen by many as a metaphor for marginalized communities) to the recent announcement that Marvel is looking at “transgender actresses only” to cast a new, upcoming role.

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Mario Lopez Misses EXTRA Taping After Issuing Trans Apology

After issuing an apology for comments about parents raising transgenger children, TV host Mario Lopez missed the latest taping of his entertainment gabfest, Extra.
Mario Lopez on the Candace Owens podcast

After issuing an apology for comments about parents raising transgender children, TV host Mario Lopez missed the latest taping of his entertainment gabfest, Extra. Lopez, who has been a presenter at GLAAD media events in the past, caught heat for suggesting that it was “dangerous” for parents to be supportive of a child’s transition during an interview on the conservative Candace Owens podcast. After media outlets picked up on the comments, he released an apology saying, “The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were.” Deadline reports “No explanation was given for Lopez’s absence from today’s show, although Extra hosts Renee Bargh and Tanika Ray addressed the controversy by interviewing GLAAD director Anthony Ramos and Dr Johanna Olson Kennedy, an expert on trans youth development at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.” Additionally, producers for Extra issued this statement: “While we have enjoyed a long relationship with Mario Lopez, who we know to be a caring person, the opinions he expressed in this interview do not reflect those of Extra. “We wholeheartedly embrace our friends from the LGBTQ community and believe they need support and love. For more support on these issues you can go to GLAAD.org.”

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AGT Judge Julianne Hough: “You Know I’m Not Straight, Right?”

In a new interview for Women’s Health Magazine, DWTS alum/America’s Got Talent judge Julianne Hough shares that she once told her husband, “You know I’m not straight, right?”
Julianne Hough (image via Facebook)

In a new interview for Women’s Health Magazine, DWTS alum/America’s Got Talent judge Julianne Hough shares that she once told her husband, “You know I’m not straight, right?”

The revelation came amid a “massive transformation” period for the 31-year-old actress and dancer just four months after marrying hockey player Brooks Laich in July 2017.

In working to develop her own dance-based workout called Kinrgy (kin as in family and kinesthetic, plus energy), she felt more and more empowered and confident.

Hough says that confidence became transformative and cathartic in her life.

“I’ve been de-layering all the survival tactics I’ve built up my whole life,” she explains. “Now, I feel limitless.”

As her new-found confidence began to permeate other aspects of her life, she wondered if that might be a turn-off for her husband.

“I was connecting to the woman inside that doesn’t need anything, versus the little girl that looked to him to protect me,” Hough tells Women’s Health. “I was like, ‘Is he going to love this version of me?’ But the more I dropped into my most authentic self, the more attracted he was to me. Now we have a more intimate relationship.”

With that deeper intimacy came the courage to share some truths with Brooks.

“I [told him], ‘You know I’m not straight, right?’” says Hough.

“And he was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’ I was like, ‘I’m not. But I choose to be with you.’”

Audiences have grown to know Hough since she was first cast in 2007 as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars. That was followed with the leading role in the 2011 film remake of Footloose.

In 2016, she played Sandy in the live Fox television production of Grease. And in 2019, she joined the reality TV series America’s Got Talent as a judge.

It’s understandable that Hough would have some trepidation about opening up about her sexuality. She and her famous DWTS brother, Derek, were raised in the very anti-LGBTQ Mormon Church in Utah.

But today she finds ’safety’ in living authentically.

“I think there’s a safety with my husband now that I’m unpacking all of this, and there’s no fear of voicing things that I’ve been afraid to admit or that I’ve had shame or guilt about because of what I’ve been told or how I was raised.”

Hough also shares how she got over her fear of being naked as she posed for an extensive nude photo shoot for the ‘Naked Strength’ issue of Women’s Health.

SShe recently joined her hubby Brooks and his co-host Gavin DeGraw on their podcast, How Men Think, to discuss intimacy, sex and more.

“We have never been so specific, detailed and open about exactly what goes on in our relationship and our respective thoughts and approaches to intimacy and sex,” the former Los Angeles King forward told Closer Weekly about the podcast chat.

“We give people our exact specifics, how we create intimacy, why it’s important to us and open up about our sex life.”