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Nancy Pelosi On Mueller’s Comments: “Congress Will Continue To Investigate”

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has issued a statement in response to this morning’s comments by Special Counsel Robert Mueller:

“The Special Counsel’s report revealed that the President’s campaign welcomed Russian interference in the election, and laid out eleven instances of the President’s obstruction of the investigation. The Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power.

“The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy. The American people must have the truth. We call upon the Senate to pass H.R. 1, the For The People Act, to protect our election systems. We salute Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his team for his patriotic duty to seek the truth.”

Pelosi urged Democrats to whoa up on impeachment calls, saying, “We want to do what is right and what gets results.”

The House Speaker added, “We do want to make such a compelling case that even the Republican Senate will be convinced of the path that we have to take as a country.”

Several Democratic candidates for president weighed in with their thoughts as well:

Oh, and the Trumpster had to chime in as well:

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Maine Becomes 17th State To Ban ‘Ex-Gay Therapy’

Maine has become the 17th state to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for minors.

Maine has become the 17th state to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ for minors.

The legislation prohibits state-licensed counselors, psychologists, social workers, health professionals, guidance counselors and pastoral therapists from engaging in the harmful practice of trying to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Lawmakers in Maine passed a similar bill last year, but the legislation was vetoed by former Republican Gov. Paul LePage. His veto made him the only governor in the U.S. to veto a ban on conversion therapy.

Today, however, Gov. Janet Mills enthusiastically signed the bill into law saying in a statement, “Conversion therapy is a harmful, widely-discredited practice that has no place in Maine.”

“By signing this bill into law today, we send an unequivocal message to young LGBTQ people in Maine and across the country: we stand with you, we support you, and we will always defend your right to be who you are,” she added.

Conversion therapy has been widely denounced by leading professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.

Studies have shown that the harmful practice can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide.

The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth, is invested in ending conversion therapy in every state.

Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project, applauded Maine’s efforts to help LGBTQ youth.

“After the disappointment of last year’s veto, they came back stronger and passed legislation to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangers of conversion therapy,” said Brinton in a statement. “We will continue to push each and every day to insure that every state in the country follows Maine’s example and ends this cruel practice once and for all.”

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When You Miss Being A Couple But Can’t Give Up Sexual Freedom

Therapist Matthew Dempsey has a new web series, Cost of Two Sandwiches, where he sits down picnic style to offer his brand of "queer psychotherapeutic guidance" to LGBTQs who are struggling with personal issues like coming out, dating, religion, sex and body image. In the latest episode, Dempsey chats with Sterling - a gay man who loves being single, but also thinks he wants a serious relationship.
Sterling (L) and therapist Matthew Dempsey (R)

Therapist Matthew Dempsey has a new web series, Cost of Two Sandwiches, where he sits down picnic style to offer his brand of “queer psychotherapeutic guidance” to LGBTQs who are struggling with personal issues like coming out, dating, religion, sex and body image.

In the latest episode, Dempsey chats with Sterling – a gay man who loves being single, but also thinks he wants a serious relationship.

It turns out Sterling was in a great relationship for nearly several years, but five years ago he felt a sexual itch and wanted to scratch it.

He approached his partner at the time about opening up the relationship to accommodate Sterling’s desire to “sexually explore.” The couple went to therapy together, and the boyfriend even agreed to try an open relationship, but assured Sterling, “I will leave.”

So, the two went their separate ways and Sterling has spent the past five years loving being single and being sex positive. In his own words, he’s “been exploring the f**k out” of his sexual self.

But, on some Sundays or Tuesday afternoons, he finds he misses having a partner to “stabilize” him. The problem for Sterling is he’s afraid of losing his sexual freedom.

Dempsey: “What would you say is the thing that scares you the most about being in a relationship?”

Sterling: “That I won’t get to hook up with anybody else.”

Sounds like a “having your cake and eating it, too” kind of situation.

Is this about fear of commitment? Or taking care of sexual needs?

Dempsey brings up a few issues that are central to the issue including compatibility in relationships, coping with our sex drives, and adopting relationships that align with societal views.

Hit play below to see how the chat plays out, then share your thoughts in the comments.

Is Sterling selfish? Or is he just trying to understand himself?

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Mississippi: White Woman Pulls A Gun On Black Couple Having Picnic At Lake

A white female campground manager in Mississippi pulled a gun on a black couple and their dog accusing them of not having a reservation to picnic at the lake.
(screen capture)

A white female campground manager in Mississippi pulled a gun on a black couple and their dog accusing them of not having a reservation to picnic at the lake.

Jessica Richardson filmed the woman approaching her and her husband with a gun at the Kampgrounds of America in Starkville, Mississippi, on Sunday. Her husband, Sgt. Franklin Richardson, had just returned from a 9-month deployment in the Middle East and they were simply looking to enjoy the holiday weekend.

Brandishing her pistol, the woman told the couple to leave when she found out they didn’t have a reservation.

According to reports, the manager has since been fired.

Richardson posted the video to Facebook with the following caption:

“RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL!! Today was a beautiful day so my husband (who’s a vet), our 2 year old dog, and myself, decided to Google a lake to visit and have a picnic. We found a lake located in Starkville and decided to visit. Not five mins later a truck pulls up and a white lady screams at us, she then jumps out of her truck with a gun… and proceeded to point it at the 3 of us, simply because we didn’t make reservations. After leaving, my husband stopped by the office and talked with her husband (they’re the property managers). The husband tells my husband that reservations aren’t needed for the lake.”

Click the image below to watch the video.

One Twitter user says he identified the woman as Ruby Howell, whose Facebook profile describes as a Christian who loves the Confederate flag.

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Mueller: “If We Had Confidence That The President Had NOT Committed A Crime We Would Have Said So”

Special Counsel Robert Mueller

For the first time since the conclusion of the Special Counsel probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by Donald Trump, Robert Mueller spoke at the Department of Justice about his team’s report.

Mueller reiterated his office’s conclusion was that there was “insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy” against the Trump campaign in relation to Russian efforts to interfere with the election.

He also made clear that Trump was not cleared of obstruction of justice by the Special Counsel.

“If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not committed a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime,” Mueller said about the conclusion of the Russia investigation.

He added that he did not charge Trump with obstruction of justice because Department of Justice policy prohibits charging a sitting president with a federal crime. “Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider,” said Mueller.

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News Round-Up: May 28, 2019

Jersey Shore’s Vinny Guadagnino with the Chippendales

Some news items you might have missed:

• I caught Vinny Guadagnino’s final performance at Chippendales in Las Vegas this weekend. Let me tell you, the ‘Keto Guido’ killed it – the crowd was insane. That Keto Diet definitely suits him, because he’s ripped AF.

• Three LGBTQ advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for its recent repeal of transgender healthcare rights.

• From his debut EP Loveless, out artist Jake Frost drops his music video for “Undercover,” which offers a brooding exploration of the push/pull of hidden desires and unrequited love.

Shoutout to Frost’s video co-star, Marquise Hitchcock, who created the evocative choreography.

• During a recent chat on David Letterman’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Ellen DeGeneres shared she was sexually abused by her step-father.

• Seth Rogen told GQ Magazine he really regrets the homophobic jokes in his early movies saying, “I’ve had people come up to me and be like: ‘That made me feel like shit when I was in the movie theatre and everyone was laughing about that.’”

• The producers of musical based on the hit film Magic Mike have cancelled a November Boston tryout engagement after composer Tom Kitt, lyricist Brian Yorkey and book writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa left the show over “creative differences.”

• Jack Thompson beat out 67 other contenders to be named this year’s International Mr. Leather becoming the first trans person of color and the second trans person ever in the competition’s 41-year history to win the title.

A post shared by International Mr Leather Inc (@internationalmrleatherinc) on May 27, 2019 at 7:20am PDT

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Government Of Lebanon Blocks Gay Dating App Grindr

The government of Lebanon has apparently ordered the gay dating app Grindr blocked for most users in the Arab country.

The government of Lebanon has apparently ordered the gay dating app Grindr blocked for most users in the Arab country.

The Independent reports the Arab nation’s state-owned internet service provider, Ogero, blocked access to the app on the orders of the public prosecutor’s office, and that all internet providers will soon follow suit.

No explanation has been given for the ban, but the court order responsible for the action specifically stated that the app “secures romantic sexual liaisons for homosexuals and bisexuals.”

A similar ban of the app occurred in January, but that was short-lived as access was restored. At the time, the government denied any involvement.

Tarek Zeidan, executive director of Helem, one of the oldest LGBTQ advocacy groups in the region, explains the absence of public spaces for gays to openly meet underscores the importance of the dating app for Lebanese LGBTQs.

“Digital forms of communication like Grindr break the isolation that members of the community feel as many still live with family,” he told The Independent.

“Grindr has also become an effective way to disseminate life-saving information on sexual health and safety – this move will set these efforts back significantly, especially when it comes to contacting difficult-to-reach populations such as individuals living in rural areas, closeted or discreet individuals, and refugees which constitute a sizeable portion of the community,” he added.

Even though Lebanon has been traditionally viewed as one of the more liberal countries in the Middle East in regard to LGBTQ rights, some activists believe this is just the beginning of a series of attacks on the community.

Georges Azzi, executive director of the Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality, told The Independent, “This is not an independent incident, this is part of a bigger campaign and strategy to limit the spaces of the LGBT community.”

“The groups behind this campaign operate in an atmosphere where the government and security apparatuses are encouraging attacks on freedom of expression,” added Azzi. “We are being controlled by medieval forces.”

Some activists are advising users to use VPN service to bypass the ban.

Recent news reports show a mixed bag when it comes to LGBTQ rights and status.

Last year, judges ruled Article 534 of Lebanon’s penal code could not be applied to consensual sex between adults of the same sex. The early 20th century law had been used to persecute gays calling for punishment for “any sexual intercourse contrary to the order of nature.”

But last October, authorities raided an LGBTQ conference, and in May 2018 police arrested the organizer of Beirut Pride which resulted in the event being cancelled.

Lebanon joins Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on the list of Middle East countries that ban Grindr.

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Minor League Baseball Team Apologizes For Video Calling AOC “Enemy Of Freedom”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Minor league baseball team the Fresno Grizzlies have issued a public apology to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after an image of her was included in a Memorial Day video tribute.

The video, featuring a patriotic speech by Ronald Reagan, used a photo of AOC at the 3:06 mark as the voiceover addressed “the enemies of freedom.” AOC was included in a photo lineup with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and Fidel Castro.

The Grizzlies front office tweeted it is “embarrassed and unconditionally apologize” to AOC for not vetting the video before it played.

The Grizzlies are the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

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GOP Congressman Says Attorney General “Deliberately Misrepresented” Mueller Report

Rep. Justin Amash surprised some folks earlier the month when he became the first Republican in Congress to call for impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump.
Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan

Rep. Justin Amash surprised some folks earlier the month when he became the first Republican in Congress to call for impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump.

Today, Amash issued a lengthy 25-tweet statement outlining how he views Attorney General William Barr “misrepresented key aspects” of the Special Counsel’s report.

Amash goes on to cite Donald Trump Jr.’s Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer and the inability of Robert Mueller to secure a proper interview with Donald Trump as concerning issues in the Special Counsel’s report that Barr seems to have obfuscated.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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SCOTUS Denies Challenge To Trans-Inclusive Bathroom Policy

In a win for transgender students, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review Doe v. Boyertown School District which leaves in place a policy of allowing trans students to use the bathroom facilities that align with their gender identity.
Aidan DeStefano (screen capture)

In a win for transgender students, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review Doe v. Boyertown School District which leaves in place a policy of allowing trans students to use the bathroom facilities that align with their gender identity.

The policy has been in effect since 2016. The school district also provides private restrooms with lockers for any student, trans or otherwise, who may feel uncomfortable with the arrangement.

In March 2017, a group of students using the pseudonym ‘Joel Doe’ sued the Boyertown Area School District for allowing male trans students to use their preferred bathrooms. Doe argued the policy was a violation of their privacy.

The ACLU and the ACLU of Pennsylvania represented a transgender student, Aidan DeStefano, and the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, a coalition of LGBTQ youth leaders and organizations which includes the Boyertown Gay-Straight Alliance.

In 2017, The Today Show profiled DeStefano who had begun to transition in 2015.

The plaintiffs were represented by the virulently anti-LGBTQ law organization Alliance Defending Freedom, which has taken up similar cases across the country.

Having lost their original court case, the plaintiffs took their fight to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals last year, where they lost again.

In fact, the three judge panel announced its unanimous decision just 15 minutes after hearing arguments. According to The Morning Call, decisions from the 3rd Circuit usually take weeks or months to be handed down.

Today’s announcement by SCOTUS means the ruling from the 3rd Circuit stands.

To date, multiple courts have ruled that transgender students have the right under Title IX and the 14th Amendment to sue the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.

In a statement released after today’s decision, Michael Levin, counsel for the school district, said, “The Boyertown Area School District provides private bathrooms and locker rooms to all students who do not feel comfortable sharing such (spaces) with others, transgender or cisgender.”

“The school district’s approach to offer separate and private bathrooms, locker rooms and private spaces to students who desire greater privacy is the common-sense approach that the Plaintiffs claim that they want,” added Levin.