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Trump’s Golf Habit Has Now Cost US Taxpayers Over $102 Million

Donald Trump

We all remember Donald Trump’s campaign promise to never play golf if he were to be elected president.

Back in 2016, he repeatedly said he wouldn’t have time to play golf. In fact, he told voters he would probably never leave the White House because he’d be so busy working for the American people.

“I love golf, but if I were in the White House, I don’t think I’d ever see Turnberry again. I don’t think I’d ever see Doral again,” he told supporters at a rally in February 2016. “I don’t ever think I’d see anything. I just want to stay in the White House and work my ass off.”

And yet,… it didn’t really turn out that way.

Wednesday is the 853rd day of the Trump presidency, and the Donald has spent 174 of them at one of his own golf courses, according to Huffpost.

By Obama’s 853rd day in office, he had spent 70 days at a golf course. Huffpost reports of those golf days were at courses on military bases: Joint Base Andrews or Fort Belvoir, both in suburban Washington a short motorcade ride from the White House.

Huffpost crunched the numbers and the Donald’s golf habit has cost U.S. taxpayers over $102 million in extra travel and security expenses.

And next month, his hobby will pass a new milestone: a seven-figure presidential visit to another country so he can play at his own course.

U.S. taxpayers have spent $81 million for the president’s two dozen trips to Florida, according to a HuffPost analysis. They spent $17 million for his 15 trips to New Jersey, another $1 million so he could visit his resort in Los Angeles and at least $3 million for his two days in Scotland last summer ― $1.3 million of which went just for rental cars for the massive entourage that accompanies a president abroad.

While Trump criticized President Obama for playing golf during his administration, Trump’s time on the links is more than double Obama’s when compared to this point in each presidency.

According to Huffpost, that $102 million spent on Trump’s presidential golfing so far is:

• 255 times the annual presidential salary he volunteered not to take

• More than three times the cost of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation that Trump complains about

• Would fund six years of the Special Olympics program that Trump’s recently proposed budget had originally cut to save money

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News Round-Up: May 22, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• Well, hello newly-discovered InstaHunk Jefferson Ferreira. Aren’t you just a heaping helping of furry goodness…? #woof

• The U.S. federal government has settled a lawsuit for $750,000 with a gay inmate who was threatened by another prisoner over his sexual orientation. Instead of intervening, officials moved the gay inmate into his bully’s cell where the aggressor followed through on his promises to repeatedly beat and rape the gay inmate.

• Adult entertainment site XTube surveyed over 3,000 gay and bisexual men about what fetishes turn them on the most. Ranked number one was ‘partialism’, also known as a fetish for a particular part of the body like feet or a hairy chest. Some studies have shown folks who engage in kink are more likely to have positive mental health.

• Out talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has inked a deal to keep her titular chat-fest going three more years taking her through the 2022 season.

• The Trump administration is proposing a rule change to gut protections for transgender people seeking to stay at federally funded homeless shelters.

• The latest music video from Madonna – her collaboration with Swae Lee, “Crave,” from her upcoming album Madame X.

I like the song. Hit play below…

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Second Judge Rebuffs Trump, Refuses To Block Congressional Subpoenas

Donald Trump received another setback in court today as a second federal judge has refused to block Congressional subpoenas for Trump's financial records.
Donald Trump

Donald Trump received another setback in court today as a second federal judge has refused to block Congressional subpoenas for Trump’s financial records.

From CNN:

A second federal judge has now rebuffed President Donald Trump’s sweeping attempt to block House lawmakers from accessing his financial records, handing him another defeat in a fight that has infuriated the President and opened deep rifts with Democrats.

Judge Edgardo Ramos in New York on Wednesday refused to block subpoenas from the House of Representatives for Trump’s financial records from Deutsche Bank and Capital One. It’s the second such ruling against the President in three days.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump lashed out at Democrats for what he claimed were attempts to harass and undermine his presidency, declaring during an irate appearance in the Rose Garden he could no longer work with them as they proceed in their investigations.

The White House has stonewalled Democratic oversight requests, has refused to comply with subpoenas issued for information and is blocking former officials from testifying.

In a statement to CNBC after the ruling, a Deutsche Bank spokesman said, “We remain committed to providing appropriate information to all authorized investigations and will abide by a court order regarding such investigations.”

This decision comes two days after a federal judge in Washington, D.C. ruled Trump’s accountants at the firm Mazars had to comply with a congressional subpoena for his financial records.

Trump has indicated he will appeal the Washington D.C. setback. For those who enjoy irony, it’s notable that the Chief Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is…Merrick Garland.

You’ll recall Garland was President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court, but was never granted a vote on his nomination. Senate Republicans kept the SCOTUS seat open for a year blocking Garland’s appointment.

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Nancy Pelosi: ‘We Believe That The President Of The United States Is Engaged In A Coverup’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: "We believe the President of the United States is engaged in a cover-up"
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Donald Trump keeps pressing to hide more documents and suppress more testimony; more Democrats are shifting towards impeachment mode; and now, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is starting to sound like her colleagues are moving her in that direction as well.

Following a meeting with House Democrats, Pelosi reporters that “no one is above the law,” and “we believe the President of the United States is engaged in a cover up.”

Pelosi was scheduled to meet with Trump and other lawmakers this morning regarding infrastructure legislation.

He wasn’t happy.

Mangling the English language once again, Trump sputtered, “Instead of walking in happily into a meeting, I walk in to look at at people that had just said I’m doing a cover-up. I don’t do coverups.”

Uh-huh. That’s why he’s telling his former lawyer, Don McGahn, to not testify before Congress. Because he’s totally-not covering anything up.

At the impromptu presser in the White House Rose Garden, Trump told reporters he told Democrats at the White House he couldn’t work with them while they were pursuing investigations into him and his administration.

Isn’t it his job to DO his job?

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News Round-Up: May 21, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• We usually see InstaHunk Ignacio Pérez Rey (above) on a sun-drenched beach somewhere, but it turns out he also likes his pool back home in Madrid.

• The Maine legislature has passed LD 1025 which will protect LGBTQ youth from the harmful practice of so-called conversion therapy, and make Maine the 17th state to do so. The harmful practice is condemned by every major medical and mental health organization, including the American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, and American Medical Association.

• The Philippines Congress launched an online poll this week to gauge support for legalizing same-sex unions.

• Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson didn’t know the difference between “REO” and sandwich cookie Oreo. Every nascent real estate agent knows in their first week of training “REO” stands for “real estate owned,” another term for a foreclosed property. But this guy is the Housing Secretary…

• Several lawmakers are opposing the nomination of homophobic court nominee Howard Nielson, who has made antiquated remarks on same-sex parents, famously lashed out at a gay judge, and helped challenge affirmative action in court.

• An out, gay black man has become a congressional leader in fighting back against the homophobia of Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro.

• Inspired by the books of Armistead Maupin, the new Netflix Limited Series Tales of the City begins a new chapter in the beloved story.

Mary Ann (Laura Linney) returns to present-day San Francisco and is reunited with her adopted daughter Shawna (Ellen Page) and ex-husband Brian (Paul Gross), twenty years after leaving them behind to pursue her career. Fleeing the midlife crisis that her picture-perfect Connecticut life created, Mary Ann is quickly drawn back into the orbit of Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis), her chosen family and a new generation of queer young residents living at 28 Barbary Lane.

Here’s the first full trailer for the new incarnation of TOTC which premieres June 7th on Netflix.

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IRS Memo Draft Indicates Trump Tax Returns Have To Be Given To Congress

Donald Trump

While Treasury Secretary and Trump toadie, Steven Mnuchin, says he’s refusing to turn over Donald Trump’s tax returns because he wants to kiss Trump’s butt Congress doesn’t have a ‘legitimate reason’ for them, it turns out the IRS has already drafted a memo that finds the returns pretty much have to be given to Congress.

From The Washington Post:

A confidential Internal Revenue Service legal memo says tax returns must be given to Congress unless the president takes the rare step of asserting executive privilege, according to a copy of the memo obtained by The Washington Post.

The memo contradicts the Trump administration’s justification for denying lawmakers’ request for President Trump’s tax returns, exposing fissures in the executive branch. Trump has refused to turn over his tax returns but has not invoked executive privilege. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has instead denied the returns by arguing there is no legislative purpose for demanding them.

But, according to the IRS memo, which has not been previously reported, the disclosure of tax returns to the committee “is mandatory, requiring the Secretary to disclose returns, and return information, requested by the tax-writing Chairs.”

Even when it comes to ‘executive privilege,’ the Post points out that “is generally defined as the president’s ability to deny requests for information about internal administration talks and deliberations.”

Trump’s taxes prior to taking office would not fall under that definition.

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Texas Lawmakers Approve ‘License To Discriminate’ Against LGBTQs

Texas Republican seeks to ban all gender-affirming care
The Texas legislature revived anti-LGBTQ House Bill 3172 as Senate Bill 1978, and the legislation has now passed in both chambers.

The Texas legislature revived anti-LGBTQ House Bill 3172 as Senate Bill 1978, and the legislation has now passed in both chambers.

SB 1978 seeks to protect businesses and individuals from being penalized by city or government officials if they donate to, or are affiliated with, religious organizations that are known to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

It was dubbed the #SaveChickFilA bill after the San Antonio City Council voted to block inclusion of the fast-food restaurant at the San Antonio airport due to a history of anti-LGBTQ donations.

After members of the House LGBTQ caucus successfully killed the bill in that chamber, Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) filed an amended version in the state Senate.

Hughes contends the bill doesn’t contain “an ounce of discrimination.”

But state Rep. Celia Israel (D-Austin) said on the floor of the House, “It’s been cloaked religious freedom, but the genesis, the nexus of this bill, is in hatred.”

State Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint), who chairs the House LGBTQ Caucus, said the bill “perpetuates the rhetoric that leads to discrimination, to hate and ultimately bullying that leads to the consequence of people dying.”

The legislation was quickly passed in the Senate and sent to the House where the Austin Chronicle reports the bill was approved today by a vote of 79-64.

An amendment added to the bill in the House requires one more vote by the Senate, where it’s expected to pass.

Then the legislation heads to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott, who has signaled he plans on signing the bill into law.

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New Trailer For ‘Downton Abbey’ Reveals Royal Visit & Gay Romance

Robert James-Collier as “Thomas Barrow” in Downton Abbey

The first full trailer for the upcoming Downton Abbey movie is here, and it features some same-sex lip lock action.

Last December, director Michael Engler told Entertainment Weekly that the film’s storyline would focus on an “event.”

“Life is settling into these new realities when this event happens at Downton that brings everyone together, “ Engler shared with EW. “The story line has expanded the scale of it. It takes the things you love about Downton – the romance, the intrigue, the pageantry – and makes it bigger.”

In the new trailer, it’s revealed that Lord and Lady Grantham (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern) receive news of a royal visitation to Downton Abbey by none other than the king and queen of England.

The estate whirls into action preparing for the occasion, but Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) feels the need to call in the heavy artillery. So, she reaches out to retired butler Carson for help.

Of course, Carson could never say ‘no’ to Mary. “I’ll be there in the morning.”

Midway through the new trailer, it appears that sometime-villain and butler Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier) has found himself a boyfriend as we glimpse him strolling with, and then kissing, a handsome young man.

Thomas gets a boyfriend?

And, of course, it wouldn’t be Downton Abbeywithout some witty repartee from the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith).

Over its 6 seasons, the series won 3 Golden Globe Awards and 15 Primetime Emmy Awards (69 Emmy nods in total), making Downton Abbeythe most nominated non-US television show in the history of the Emmys.

The movie lands in theaters on September 12 internationally, and in the U.S. on September 20.

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Committee Chair To Don McGahn: “Our Subpoenas Are Not Optional”

Former White House lawyer Don McGahn chose to defy a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning.

While the House reps showed up, Chairman Jerrold Nadler was irritated upon seeing an empty chair instead of McGahn.

In a statement, Nadler told the chamber, “Our subpoenas are not optional,” and declared that “this committee will hear McGahn’s testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it.”

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Alabama Public Television Bans Gay Wedding Episode Of Long-Running ‘Arthur’

Alabama Public Television (APT) decided the same-sex wedding was too much for its intended audience to handle, and refused to air the episode. Instead, APT chose to air a re-run.
Mr. Ratburn and Patrick head down the aisle (image via PBS)

The long-running PBS children’s show, Arthur, opened its 22nd season last week with an episode featuring one of the animated characters marrying to his male partner.

In an episode titled “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone,” it turns out that Arthur’s stern yet forgiving 3rd grade teacher is gay, and marries his boyfriend, Patrick.

The storyline was celebrated by LGBTQ advocacy groups like GLAAD:

While the episode doesn’t mention the word “gay” or “homosexual,” I did wonder if some folks might be offended or raise their homophobic voices in opposition to two animated characters finding happiness together.

Yep. And some of those folks are in Alabama.

Alabama Public Television (APT) decided the same-sex wedding was too much for its intended audience to handle, and refused to air the episode. Instead, APT chose to air a re-run.

Yes, this is the same Alabama where public lawmakers just passed a law which will require a 13-year-old rape victim to carry a possible child to term.

Mike McKenzie, the director of programming at APT, confirmed to NBC News that upon receiving an alert from PBS in mid-April about “possible concerns about the content of the program,” APT felt it was best to omit the episode from their schedule.

“Parents have trusted Alabama Public Television for more than 50 years to provide children’s programs that entertain, educate, and inspire,” Mike McKenzie, director of programming at APT, said in a statement.

“More importantly—although we strongly encourage parents to watch television with their children and talk about what they have learned afterwards—parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision,” continued McKenzie. “We also know that children who are younger than the ‘target’ audience for Arthur also watch the program.”

“The vast majority of parents will not have heard about the content, whether they agree with it or not,” added McKenzie. “Because of this, we felt it would be a violation of trust to broadcast the episode.”

(image via PBS)

Interestingly, one parent heard about the LGBTQ-inclusive episode and recorded the show with plans to watch with her 9-year-old daughter. But Misty Souder told AL.com that she was disappointed to only find a re-run on her DVR.

Souder says she contacted APT about the censorship, and used the experience as a teaching moment for her daughter about the importance of standing up for others.

“I just want her to be aware,” Souder explained to AL.com. “There’s too much going on not to stand up for stuff, even if it’s Arthur. I never thought I’d be going to battle for a gay rat wedding, but here we are.”

This isn’t APT’s first time to censor PBS’s Arthur.

In a 2005 episode, a bunny character named Buster visited a girl who was revealed to have two mothers.

Yep – APT pulled that installment, too.

According to AL.com, then-executive director of APT Allan Pizzato explained, “Our feeling is that we basically have a trust with parents about our programming.”

“This program doesn’t fit into that,” he added.

Watch the full episode featuring Mr. Ratburn’s wedding HERE.