On Wednesday, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate’s Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism asked the F.B.I. and the Justice Department for evidence that the government had sought legal permission to tap Mr. Trump’s phones.
The request came in a letter from Senators Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, and Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, to Mr. Comey and the acting deputy attorney general, Dana Boente. Mr. Boente is overseeing the Russia inquiry because Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from any cases involving the Trump campaign and Russia, after acknowledging he met with Russia’s ambassador, Sergey I. Kislyak.
“We request that the Department of Justice provide us copies of any warrant applications and court orders — redacted as necessary to protect intelligence sources and methods that may be compromised by disclosure, and to protect any ongoing investigations — related to wiretaps of President Trump, the Trump campaign or Trump Tower,” the senators wrote.
When the Affordable Care Act was introduced years ago, it took months of hearings and committee meetinsg to advanced the vast legislation.
Republicans, at the time, decried the “haste” with which the process seemed to be moving.
Fast forward to 2017.
Now it’s the Republicans in the driver’s seat, and this car is moving away from Obamacare as quickly as the Repubs can go.
On Monday, House Republicans introduced their “repeal and replace” plan – the American Health Care Act.
Late into Wednesday night, just two days later, the critical House Ways and Means Committee slogged through 18 hours to approve the legislation on to a full vote on the floor of the House.
There has been no scoring by the CBO on the bill. No one knows how this new approach will affect the economy of the U.S.
But the GOP led House is roaring away with their bill.
Already, the legislation has it’s detractors. And many are conservatives, including Senators Rand Paul and Tom Cotton.
1. House health-care bill can’t pass Senate w/o major changes. To my friends in House: pause, start over. Get it right, don’t get it fast.
In a private meeting with conservative groups, President Trump shared his plans in the event the new legislation not work out: Step aside, watch the ACA fall apart, and let Democrats take the blame.
But there’s more! Trump also unveiled his strategy to shame elected officials into voting for the new healthcare plan.
Confident that the health care plan will pass the House, Trump laid out his strategy for winning passage in the Senate, telling the meeting he will campaign heavily in red states featuring vulnerable Democrats up for re-election. Trump said he will have football stadium events in states where he won by 10-12 points and he is going to dare people to vote against him,” a source at the meeting said.
According to AARP, 80% of long-term care for older people in the U.S. is provided by family members like spouses, children, and other relatives.
But LGBT seniors are half as likely as heterosexual counterparts to have close family to lean on for help.
Additionally, studies show that 40% of LGBT older people feel that their support networks become smaller over time, versus compared to 27% of non-LGBT people.
As such, many LGBT older people experience higher rates of social isolation. They are twice as likely to be single and to live alone, and three to four times as likely to be childless.
Where do LGBT elders find support in their golden years?
Emmy Award-winning host and New York Times bestselling author Leeza Gibbons joins me on this episode of The Randy Report to talk about her advocacy on behalf of senior care and caregivers through such partnerships as the one she has with SeniorHelpers.com.
Plus, she shares her path to success and how optimism is her driving force.
• 52% of American voters say that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions lied under oath during his confirmation hearings, and 51% say Sessions should resign
• 54% disapprove of the way President Donald Trump is handling U.S. policy towards Russia
• 66% of Americans support an “independent commission investigating potential links between some of Donald Trump’s campaign advisors and the Russian government”
• 61% of Americans are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about President Trump’s relationship with Russia
• 62% of voters say alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election is a “very important” or “somewhat important” issue
Just in time for International Women’s Day, award-winning out singer/songwriter Matt Zarley releases his latest album, The Estrogen Sessions, in honor of the female pop divas most influential in his career.
The project, his first as producer, was born out of his web series, UnCOVERED, which features Matt reimagining popular songs, as well as filming a music video of each tune. Like many, Matt noticed he was not only drawn to, but relished, singing the hits of our female musical royalty.
“When it came to selecting the songs, it wasn’t easy,” admits Zarley. “I began choosing songs that had an impact on my life at some point, and artists that have either influenced or inspired me over the years.”
Stripped down and primarily acoustic, Zarley’s production work showcases the strength of the songwriting and his own effortless vocals. “As I began to arrange these tunes, I made a conscience decision to strip the songs down and reinterpret them with all live music, nothing programmed – real piano, organ, guitar, drums, bass and strings,” says Zarley.
The collection includes two duets: Tony Award winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots) partners on the Des’ree hit, “You Gotta Be;” and YouTube sensation Jeb Havens joins Zarley for Pink’s “F**kin’ Perfect.”
“Billy and I have wanted to record together for years and we wanted to do a song with a powerful message, a message that felt relevant, and we did not want to do a ballad,” explains Zarley. “This was the perfect fit and it’s definitely one of my favorite songs on the album because I feel the 28 years of friendship between Billy and me in this song. I’m so thrilled that we have this moment forever.”
The entire album is imminently listenable. The emotional landscape is soulful and wide, with each track showcasing Zarley’s rich, fluid voice. He shifts from plaintive, affecting intimacy to expansive vocal brawn with equal ease.
Highlights include the Porter partnership, “You Gotta Be,” wherein the duo hold court firmly at the intersection of sass and soul; “I Look To You,” originally the lead single from Whitney Houston’s final album, finds it’s destiny in Zarley’s powerfully inspiring rendition; and the spare but expressive “Gravity” is it’s own quiet force of nature. Additionally, I love the harmonies throughout – check out “The Heart of the Matter” for an example of expert sonic backup.
Now, about that title. As offbeat as it may sound to some, according to Zarley, it just felt right. “At the very least, I think it will spark some curiosity and it’s 100% my sense of humor – as is the album’s cover art,” admits Matt. (Check the shadow behind Zarley in the cover photo.)
Track list for The Estrogen Sessions:
1. “I Will Always Love You” (Dolly Parton) 2. “That’s the Way It Is” (Celine Dion) 3. “Gravity” (Sara Bareilles) 4. “You Gotta Be” with Billy Porter (Des’Ree) 5. “He Used to Be Mine” (Sara Bareilles) 6. “Together Again” (Janet Jackson) 7. “Take A Bow” (Rihanna) 8. “Always On Your Side” (Sheryl Crow) 9. “F**kin’ Perfect” with Jeb Havens (Pink) 10. “I Just Had to Hear Your Voice” (Oleta Adams) 11. “Angel of Mine” (Monica) 12. “The Heart of the Matter” (India.Arie) 13. “I Look to You” (Whitney Houston)
Matt Zarley’s The Estrogen Sessions is available on iTunes and other digital outlets.
Transgender high school student Gavin Grimm pens an incredibly mature and clear-eyed essay for the New York Times chronicling his two year struggle to be accepted, and the “crazy, stressful, busy, breathtaking, rewarding, beautiful, fantastic” road he’s traveled since challenging the discrimination perpetrated by his school board.
Grimm sums up the journey thusly:
This case will not be resolved until after I graduate. But this fight is bigger than me. I came to realize that very early on, and it is truer now than it ever has been. This fight is for other trans youth in my high school. It is for other trans youth in Virginia. It is for all trans youth who are in school or one day will be. It is for the friends and loved ones of these youth, who want these children to be happy and healthy, rather than at risk and in danger as so many trans people are.
I am often asked if I regret my actions, or if I would do anything differently if I had the chance. When people ask that, I immediately think about the hundreds of parents who have reached out to thank me on behalf of their children. I think of the hundreds of young people who have thanked me themselves. I think of the countless #StandWithGavin messages on social media, and the countless hugs and handshakes at school and on the sidewalks of my town. I think of people I’ve gotten to meet and grown to love. I think of how honored I am to carry the voice, in some way, of a community so rich and so colorful and so important. I think of how I’ve grown from that 15-year-old child, sitting in fear as he waits to hear what his future will be, into the young man who stands hand in hand with a huge community as we all prepare to take the next step in this fight. I think of my parents, unwavering and strong as pillars in my success and growth. And I say, “Absolutely not.”
This week, the Supreme Court of the United States announced it will not hear Gavin’s case this term, sending the case back to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in the wake of the Trump Administration’s revocation of school guidance ensuring the protection and dignity of transgender students.
The response Trump got, however, probably wasn’t what he was expecting.
The Twitterverse has a long memory, and folks were quick to remind the president just how much he “respects” women by sharing one of his most infamous quotes, word for word:
Here’s just a few of the choice responses Trump got on Twitter:
Randy Report favorite and woofy anti-bullying advocate Ben Cohen is back in the gym, and moving into beast mode.
Via Facebook: ”Morning!! Back in the gym this morning. Nearly finished my C9 diet from @OfficialForever.”
For several years, Ben’s hunky charity calendars raised funds for The StandUp Foundation, which spotlights the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, and funding those doing real-world work to stop it. Additionally, the organization looks to eradicate homophobia from sports.
In November of 2015, Cohen shared with his fans that he felt out of shape (although I thought he looked woofy as ever), and so would not release a 2016 calendar, much to the howls of his admirers.
Looks like this world-class rugby champ could be ramping back up for the lens again soon 🙂
