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Federal Judge Denies Paul Manafort’s Request To Dismiss Charges Against Him

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort

CNN reports that a federal judge has denied former Donald Trump campaign chairman’s request to invalidate the criminal case again him brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Manafort’s legal team argued that the Special Counsel’s orders were too broad and that Mueller had overstepped his legal authority.

But federal Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that Mueller’s investigation and his prosecution of Manafort are legal.

Manafort maintains his innocence to charges related to his work as a lobbyist for Ukrainian politicians.

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North Korea Threatens To Cancel Summit Over U.S./South Korea Air Force Drills

North Korea has suspended talks with South Korea and declared that next month’s summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump could be cancelled over upcoming joint Air Force drills taking place in South Korea with the U.S. Air Force.

North Korea has always expressed displeasure at the annual joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises. But apparently, with the U.S. summit so close on the calendar, North Korea must have had different expectations this year.

From The Washington Post:

The South Korean and U.S. militaries had scaled back and played down the exercises, declining the news media the usual access to the drills. North Korea barely said a word about the drills during the computer simulation exercises that took place through April.

The two-week-long Max Thunder drills between the two countries’ Air Forces, an annual event that began on Friday, have, however, clearly struck a nerve in North Korea.

“This exercise targeting us, which is being carried out across South Korea, is a flagrant challenge to the Panmunjom Declaration and an intentional military provocation running counter to the positive political development on the Korean Peninsula,” the North’s Korean Central News Agency said in a report published early.

The Max Thunder exercise involves about 100 warplanes, including eight F-22 radar-evading fighters and an unspecified number of B-52 bombers and F-15K jets, according to the South’s main Yonhap News Agency. During last year’s Max Thunder exercises, U.S. and South Korean fighter jets flew an average 60 sorties a day to showcase their firepower.

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NY State Republicans Kill Gender Identity Protections Bill For 11th Year In A Row

Incredible as it may seem, the New York state Assembly has approved legislation prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity for 11 years in a row.

And for the 11th year, the NY state Senate (controlled by Republicans) has killed that bill in committee. The legislation failed on a party line 5-4 vote.

From Chris Johnson of The Washington Blade:

Any hopes that New York would join other states this year and enact a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity were dashed Tuesday when a Republican-controlled Senate committee voted down a transgender rights measure.

The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, or GENDA, was defeated in the New York Senate Investigations & Government Operations Committee by a 5-4 party-line vote.

The measure would have amended the state human rights law to bar discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression and would have added transgender people to the state human rights law.

Sen. Brad Hoylman, the only openly LGBT member of the New York state Senate, was disgusted. His office issued this statement:

“In 21st century New York State, it’s appalling that Senate Republicans would vote along party lines against GENDA. Human rights shouldn’t be a partisan issue – and they aren’t in other states.

“Earlier this month, in fact, the Republican legislature in New Hampshire passed protections for LGBT people, making it possible that New York will soon be the only state in the northeast without statutory protections for its transgender citizens.

“As the Trump Administration continues to roll back protections for LGBT Americans, New York has the obligation to protect its transgender citizens from discrimination and hate crimes.

“Unfortunately, the State Senate failed miserably in its duties. Moving forward, I’ll continue to fight for passage of GENDA in a new State Senate after the midterms.”

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First Look At Upcoming Queen Biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Rami Malek as “Freddie Mercury” in Bohemian Rhapsody

In the upcoming Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami Malek (Mr. Robot) has transformed himself into iconic rocker Freddie Mercury.

Here’s the official synopsis:

“Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury, who defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet.

The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound, their near-implosion as Mercury’s lifestyle spirals out of control, and their triumphant reunion on the eve of Live Aid, where Mercury, facing a life-threatening illness, leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. In the process, cementing the legacy of a band that were always more like a family, and who continue to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.”

It’s been a bumpy road from page to screen for Bohemian Rhapsody.

First, for years Sacha Baron Cohen was set to play Mercury but eventually departed the project over creative differences.

Shortly after production was halted due to director Bryan Singer’s “unexpected unavailability,” the Singer was fired. Within days, English actor and director Dexter Fletcher (Eddie the Eagle) was tapped as the replacement.

Singer says he was removed from the film last December after the studio refused to allow him to deal with the illness of one of his parents. But, there were also reports that Singer showing up late to set, or not showing up at all for shooting on several occasions, all of which lead to tensions with Malek.

In any case, watch the teaser below. Malek is strutting out some seriously awesome “Freddie.”

In theaters November 2, 2018.

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Two Teens Get Slap On The Wrist After Choking A Student Into “Apologizing” For Being Gay

Will Mayrick (image via Facebook)

Two teens in the UK, who choked a student during a Tube ride in London until he “apologized” for being gay, have basically walked out of court with a slap on the wrist.

Will Mayrick, 20, says he feared for his life after two attackers grabbed him in a headlock, squeezing the breathe out of him, during an evening out with four of his friends.

The photography student today said the hideous ordeal might never have happened if the teenage perpetrators had undergone LGBT education classes at school.

Mayrick told the press that the Government needs to make LGBT studies a requirement. “It’s clear that there needs to be a better support network in schools,” he told the Evening Standard.

In the end, both attackers (aged 16 and 17) were given 12-month referral orders and each ordered to pay fines of about $27 for “victim surcharge” and $200 for “compensation.”

After the sentencing, Mayrick withheld judgement of his assailants saying, “They were so young, and I can’t help but think that if they had had some sort LGBT education then the attack might never have happened.”

According to a recent study by Stonewall, 55% of secondary school teachers and 42% of primary school teachers say they don’t stand up to homophobic language every time they hear it.

Additionally, 86% of secondary school teachers and 45% of primary school teachers polled said students in their schools had experienced homophobic bullying.

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DWTS: Adam Rippon Kills With Contemporary Dance

Adam Rippon and Jenna Johnson on DWTS

Believe it or not, we have just one week left in this “Athletes-only” edition of Dancing with the Stars, and Olympic bronze medalist (and self-proclaimed “America’s sweetheart”) Adam Rippon is crushing it.

I’ve been pulling for Adam from day one and he hasn’t disappointed.

Charming, self-deprecating and hard-working as hell, Rippon has been everything the TV show’s producers could have wanted.

Performing a contemporary dance last night to “O” by Coldplay (which Adam knows uber-well since he skated to it at the Winter Olympics), Team Rippon came to slay, and slay they did.

Gorgeous choreography (I’m glad Carrie Ann pointed out later how deceptively challenging the steps were), complete commitment and detailed execution made the bird-inspired dance take flight.

And the judges agreed.

DWTS season 24 runner-up David Ross: “By far my favorite dance of the night.”

Judge Len Goodman: “It had great control mixed with flair. It’s the best dance I’ve seen tonight. Well done.”

Judge Bruno Tonioli: “You were like two birds of paradise – mesmerizing and enchanting. It’s impossible to tell who is the professional. This is a masterpiece of a dance.”

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba: “I love that you push yourself that hard. I just wanted to thank you. This is why artists create – to have moments like this. Where it’s just pure perfection.”

Team Adam received the evening’s high-score 39-of-40, which he dedicated to his mom, saying afterward: “The only thing that I’m thankful for is that I’m a beautiful crier.”

From where I stand, the mirror-ball trophy is Adam’s to lose. He’ll face off in the finals next week against fellow-figure skater Tonya Harding, and Washington Redskins defensive back Josh Norman.

Watch Adam and Jenna’s contemporary dance below:

Last night also featured a salsa “ballroom battle” between woofy Olympic luger Chris Mazdzer and the NFL’s Josh Norman.

Both did great – you can watch below to see who won to compete next week – but how could I pass up a chance to gaze again upon Mazdzer’s furry goodness?

He knows what he’s working with. Just saying…

A post shared by Chris Mazdzer (@mazdzer) on May 10, 2018 at 9:35am PDT

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Pop Star Troye Sivan Cried When He Realized How Hot Zac Efron Is

Zac Efron (L) and Troye Sivan (R)

In the June issue of Attitude Magazine, gay pop star Troye Sivan shares how Zac Efron was a part of his journey to self-acceptance. The 23-year-old, who’s new album Bloom is set to drop this summer, says it was a slow evolution to accepting his authentic self. “When I was about five, I remember feeling like I was scared because I knew something was different about me,” says Sivan. That fear surprised young Troye since he grew up in a cool household. “My parents were always really open-minded, I didn’t grow up in a homophobic household at all, but even so, somehow I knew that it was not the norm and I thought that it was not OK,” says the Aussie popster. “Even at a really young age, I don’t know where that influence came from but it was there,” he added. And then came the day that the feelings about being ‘different’ turned sexual as he gazed upon Zac Efron: “I remember I cried when I realized that I thought Zac Efron was really hot. I cried. And felt really sick.” I don’t know about feeling “sick” but I do remember when I realized Zac is hot. I might have cried, too. It was only after confiding in a close friend at the age of 15 that Sivan began to be comfortable with who he is. And in a Google kind of world, Sivan had a galaxy to turn to for help. “I went away and started doing my research, that was when I started to become a lot more comfortable,” he says. “I watched coming out videos on YouTube and heard people speaking about their experiences and realized that I wasn’t a freak.” No, you’re not a freak at all, Troye. Trust and believe, you’re great exactly as you are. And so is Zac… (sigh)… https://www.instagram.com/p/BCma0nYG888/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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Donald Trump & Sean Hannity’s Nightly Pillow Chat


 New York Magazine‘s Olivia Nuzzi has done a deep dive into the more-frequent-than-you’d guess telephone chat between Donald Trump and Fox News pundit Sean Hannity.

It’s like they’re best girl-friends who have to talk to each other every night before bed.

Their chats begin casually, with How are yous and What’s going ons. On some days, they speak multiple times, with one calling the other to inform him of the latest developments. White House staff are aware that the calls happen, thanks to the president entering a room and announcing, “I just hung up with Hannity,” or referring to what Hannity said during their conversations, or even ringing Hannity up from his desk in their presence.

On the phone, he and the president alternate between the “witch hunt!” and gabbing like old girlfriends about media gossip and whose show sucks and who’s getting killed in the ratings and who’s winning (Hannity, and therefore Trump) and sports and Kanye West, all of it sprinkled with a staccato fuck … fucking … fucked … fucker. “He’s not a systematic thinker at all. He’s not an ideologue,” one person who knows both men said of Hannity. “He gives tactical advice versus strategic advice.”

[snip]

“Hannity was always someone where, if you were a Republican and you went on his show, it would be the easiest interview possible,” a person who worked on the campaign of one of Trump’s Republican-primary rivals told me. “It was legitimately impossible to get jammed up by Sean Hannity. It wasn’t even something you’d consider. It was the softball of softball interviews.”

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Why The Trump White House Leaks So Much

Donald Trump

Last week, the political world was in an uproar over White House aide Kelly Sadler declaring during a meeting in the West Wing that Sen. John McCain’s opposition to CIA nominee Gina Haspel was largely not important because “he’s dying anyway.”

Not a kind way to speak about a man who’s devoted his whole life to service to country.

Today, the White House is trying the spin the story into a “leak” scandal.

“When you work in any work environment…if you aren’t able in internal meetings to speak your mind, or convey thoughts, or say anything that you feel without feeling like your colleagues will betray you, that creates a very difficult work environment,” said White House press secretary Raj Shah.

Writing for Axios, Jonathan Swan took time to explore why the Trump White House has so many leaks to the press.

“To be honest, it probably falls into a couple of categories,” one current White House official tells me. “The first is personal vendettas. And two is to make sure there’s an accurate record of what’s really going on in the White House.”

“To cover my tracks, I usually pay attention to other staffers’ idioms and use that in my background quotes. That throws the scent off me,” the current White House official added.

“The most common substantive leaks are the result of someone losing an internal policy debate,” a current senior administration official told me. “By leaking the decision, the loser gets one last chance to kill it with blowback from the public, Congress or even the President.”

“Otherwise,” the official added, “you have to realize that working here is kind of like being in a never-ending ‘Mexican Standoff.’ Everyone has guns (leaks) pointed at each other and it’s only a matter of time before someone shoots. There’s rarely a peaceful conclusion so you might as well shoot first.”

Axios‘ Mike Allen, who covered the White House for 20 years, says “we learn more about what’s going on inside the Trump White House in a week than we did in a year of the George W. Bush presidency.”