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Record Number Of House Members Join LGBT Equality Caucus

With The Equality Act set to be re-introduced in Congress on Wednesday, the House LGBT Equality Caucus boasts a record 155 members in the 116th Congress.

With The Equality Act set to be re-introduced in Congress on Wednesday, the House LGBT Equality Caucus boasts a record number of members in the 116th Congress.

There are currently 8 openly LGBT Co-Chairs, 18 Vice Chairs and a total of 155 Democratic members in the caucus.

No Republicans chose to be involved in the group.

“Fairness and equality are core American values. Unfortunately, as he has shown again and again, the President does not share these ideals. That’s why it’s more important than ever that Members of Congress stand up for the rights of the LGBT community,” said LGBT Equality Caucus Co-Chair Rep. David Cicilline (RI-01) in a press statement.

“As I prepare to re-introduce the Equality Act, I am delighted that so many of my House colleagues – the largest number on record, in fact – are committed to fighting for full LGBT equality as members of this important caucus,” he added.

The Equality Act would amend existing civil rights laws (which include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Jury Selection and Services Act) to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics.

Currently only 20 states and Washington D.C. have specific laws to protect LGBTs from discrimination.

The Equality Act would provide uniform protects across the entire U.S.

The Hill reports the legislation is expected to have the support of over 230 representatives in the House and 46 members of the Senate when introduced on Wednesday by Rep. Cicilline and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon in their respective chambers.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has previously announced the Equality Act would be a priority in the House, and with such strong support, passage there looks likely.

But the legislation has been introduced twice before – in 2015 and 2017 – and stalled each time due to the Republican majority in the Senate.

Political pundits believe it will take a Democratic majority in the Senate and a Democrat in the White House for the Equality Act to finally become law.

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News Round-Up: March 11, 2019

Jonas Brothers score their very first #1 song

Some news items you might have missed:

• The Jonas Brothers have officially topped the Billboard Hot 100 with their come-back single “Sucker.” It’s the Jo Bros first number one (previous high was #5) and first boy band #1 in sixteen years.

• Democratic Presidential contender Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) said this weekend that she never supported conversion therapy, despite working for an organization that promoted it.

• Milwaukee beat out Houston and Miami for the 2020 Democratic Convention scheduled for July 13-16, 2020. Since the Democratic ticket barely lost usually ‘true blue’ Wisconsin in 2016, this makes perfect sense.

• This idiot not only got a beat down for grabbing the employee at McDonalds, but he was sentenced to 60 days in jail. The customer was apparently irate he couldn’t find a straw. Watch him get more than he bargained for below.

• Jussie Smollett’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, says the former Empire star is getting ‘gang-banged‘ by the media.

• A Brazilian politician called same-sex kissing ‘obscene’ and suggested it could be punishable with prison time.

• Speaking of Brazil, Donald Trump has invited the country’s newly-installed, virulently anti-LGBTQ president, Jair Bolsonaro, to visit at the White House. #OfCourse

•Music icon Olivia Newton-John celebrates the release of her first memoir, Don’t Stop Believin’.

With her trademark positive outlook, the Grease star shares personal anecdotes including a new afterword (added after the Australian printing) of her stay in her own hospital, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research  Centre, last fall when she experienced a fractured sacrum.

The four-time Grammy Award winner went undercover for a few weeks for treatment and shares how proud she is of the world-class facility.

She also shares never-before-told stories from her 50+ year-old career in entertainment.

You can order the book on Amazon here.

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Former NV Senate Majority Leader Pleads Guilty To Spending $250K Of Campaign Funds For Personal Use

Former Nevada lawmaker Kelvin Atkinson

Former Nevada Senate Majority Leader Kelvin Atkinson pleaded guilty today to withdrawing nearly $250,000 from campaign funds for his personal use.

Atkinson resigned from his Senate seat last week. He was Nevada’s first openly gay Senate leader, and only the third African-American  to hold the position.

From Fox5Vegas:

Prosecutors said Atkinson used the funds to operate a Las Vegas night club, make payments on personal credit cards and lease a luxury car, among other expenses, the release said.

Atkinson, 49, represented District 4. He was elected to the Nevada Senate in November 2012 and named majority leader in November 2018, the release said.

Atkinson admitted that between January 2010 to December 2017, he devised a scheme to mislead donors contributing to his campaign by falsely telling them he would use the donations for lawful campaign purposes, but instead used his campaign account for personal expenses, the release said.

Because of the manner in which Atkinson withdrew the money, an exact amount is not known, the release said. But Atkinson admitted to spending nearly $250,000 of unreported withdrawals on personal expenses. His personal spending of campaign funds included $100,000 in payments on his personal credit cards, $75,000 toward opening and operating a night club and $20,000 on leasing a Jaguar SUV, among other expenses.

The statutory maximum sentence for wire fraud is 20 years, the release said. Atkinson has agreed to pay $249,900 in restitution.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 11.

Atkinson famously came out during a 2013 debate in the Senate regarding repealing Nevada’s ban on same-sex marriage.

The following year, he and his husband were among the first same-sex couples to be married in Nevada.

As a proud gay Democratic Nevadan, living in Las Vegas for 15 years, I’m disgusted that Atkinson would be so unethical.

There are no excuses for such a blatant disregard for the law and personal integrity.

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Elton John To Release First & Only Official Autobiography

Elton John

Not content with a big, splashy movie ‘musical fantasy’ about his life, Elton John has announced he plans on releasing his ‘official’ autobiography later this year in October.

John shared the news via a video shot at his favorite book shop in London.

“My life has been one helluva roller coaster ride and I’m now ready to tell you my story, in my own words,” tweeted the ‘Tiny Dancer’ singer. “My first and only official autobiography will be released October 2019.”

He provided this link for fans to pre-order the book now.

“I can’t wait for you to read it – because it’s the truth,” says John in the video. “So many books that have been written about me haven’t exactly been truthful.”

The publishing house set to release the memoir, Macmillan, says the cover and title haven’t been released yet, but the tome will be available in hardcover, paperback and e-book.

Fans are already looking forward to seeing the Grammy & Oscar winner’s life up on the big screen come May in the ‘epic musical fantasy’ biopic, Rocketman, starring Kingsmen star Taron Egerton.

Rami Malek just took home an Academy Award for his star turn as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. Could Egerton score Oscar gold as well?

With a tag line, “The only way to tell his story is to live his fantasy,” the movie arrives in theaters May 31. Check out the trailer below.

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Nancy Pelosi On Impeaching Trump: “He’s Just Not Worth It”

Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think we should go down that path, because it divides the country. "And he’s just not worth it.”
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says Trump “is just not worth” impeaching

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wins ‘Quote of the Day’ with this bon mot from a lengthy interview with the Washington Post:

“I’m not for impeachment. This is news.

“I’m going to give you some news right now because I haven’t said this to any press person before. But since you asked, and I’ve been thinking about this: Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think we should go down that path, because it divides the country.

“And he’s just not worth it.”

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Prayers Answered For Pastor’s Gay Son On ‘American Idol’

For contestant Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, being the last audition of the day for American Idol judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, turned out to be a case of ‘saved the best for last.”
Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon on ‘American Idol’ 

For contestant Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, being the last audition of the day for American Idol judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, turned out to be a case of ‘saved the best for last.”

Harmon, the openly gay son of a Catonsville pastor, shared with the judges that he works in his dad’s church as a janitor.

Harmon remembers singing for the first time at four years-old, and that he enjoys his work at the church because “It’s usually just me in the facility, so I’m singing all the time.”

“Just mopping away, doing the trash, wiping down all the toilets and stuff – just cleaning and singing,” he added.

Perry instantly connected with Harmon as a “PK” – ‘pastor’s kid’ – saying, “I feel you, I know you.”

The 26-year-old told the judges he knew he was gay when he was nine years-old, and shares that growing up a “PK” he felt there were parts of him “that do belong, and certain parts of the that don’t belong.”

When he came out to his family three years ago, he was told “this is not a path that I should follow.”

“All of my religion has been stripped down to I love you no matter what,” he added.

He then sat down at the piano to perform an original song he wrote, titled “Almost Heaven,” which he explained was inspired by “questioning if there is a place for me and people like me in heaven.”

The judges were duly impressed.

“You need to lose the broom, my friend,” Richie said. “When you opened your mouth and started singing, I went straight to Billy Joel. Then you kept singing and you passed Billy Joel.”

“Your range is incredible, your voice is incredible,” added Richie.

“Do you know how good you are?” Perry asked Harmon.

Needless to say, the possibly former-janitor is moving to next phase of the competition.

Local ABC news affiliate WMAR profiled Harmon before his American Idol appearance where he shared, “Music is my way of processing my emotional experiences, and my relationships.”

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Steve Bannon Concerned About Upcoming Doc Film ‘The Brink’

After allowing filmmakers to follow him for a year, former White House adviser and Trump campaign chair Steve Bannon isn't happy about the resulting documentary, "The Brink"
Steve Bannon

After allowing filmmakers to follow him for a year, former White House adviser and Trump campaign chair Steve Bannon isn’t happy about the resulting documentary.

Despite his cooperation, the doc film draws a “damaging portrait” of his efforts in spreading a nationalist message.

“If I had not come on as CEO of the campaign, Trump would not have won,” Bannon says in a preview of The Brink.

Pretty sure the Donald won’t be happy to hear that.

From the official description:

THE BRINK follows Bannon through the 2018 mid-term elections in the United States, shedding light on his efforts to mobilize and unify far-right parties in order to win seats in the May 2019 European Parliamentary elections. To maintain his power and influence, the former Goldman Sachs banker and media investor reinvents himself — as he has many times before — this time as the self-appointed leader of a global populist movement. Keen manipulator of the press and gifted self-promoter, Bannon continues to draw headlines and protests wherever he goes, feeding the powerful myth on which his survival relies.

One critic called the film “a damaging portrait,” and Variety wrote “the film sees through his hate games.”

Watch the trailer below. Arriving in theaters March 29.

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Out Mayor Pete Buttigieg Shades Mike Pence As ‘Cheerleader For Porn Star Presidency’

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, in the hunt for the Democratic presidential nomination, said Sunday night that he and Vice President Mike Pence (former governor of Indiana) have different views on biblical scripture.

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, in the hunt for the Democratic presidential nomination, said Sunday night that he and Vice President Mike Pence (former governor of Indiana) have different views on biblical scripture.

CNN’s Jake Tapper, hosting a town hall in Austin, Texas, asked Buttigieg if Pence would be a better or worse president than Donald Trump.

After several moments of bewilderment, the 37-year-old mayor said that, while he disagreed with Pence ‘ferociously’ on things, he always felt Pence “at least believes in our institutions and he’s not personally corrupt.”

However, Buttigieg wondered aloud, “But then, how could he get onboard with this presidency?”

The openly gay mayor shared that his view of the Bible is based on “protecting the stranger and the prisoner and the poor person – that idea of ‘welcome,’” while Pence’s take on scripture seems to have ”a lot more to do with sexuality and a certain view of rectitude.”

“But, even if you but into that, how could he allow himself to become the cheerleader of the porn star presidency?” asked Buttigieg, referencing the allegations that Donald Trump made hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

“Is it that he stopped believing in scripture, when he started believing in Donald Trump? I don’t know. I don’t know.”

The Harvard alum also talked on coming out as gay in his traditionally conservative state.

“Frankly, when I first got into politics, elected politics at the beginning of this decade in Indiana — In Mike Pence’s Indiana — I thought you could either be out or you could be in office, but you couldn’t be both,” Buttigieg said.

“I came out in the middle of a re-election campaign because it was just that time in my life when I had to do that,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “Pence was governor. We weren’t sure what it would do to my political future in a socially conservative community.”

“I wound up getting re-elected with 80 percent of the vote,” he concluded.

Asked how he could be qualified for the White House having never held statewide office, Buttigieg pointed to his resume: “I actually think that experience is one of the best reasons for somebody like me to be in this — I have more years of government experience than the president.”

“I have more years of executive government experience than the Vice President, and more military experience than anyone to walk into that office since George H. W. Bush,” said the former Navy intelligence officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. “Experience is what qualifies me to have a seat at this table.”

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Podcast: Utah Fails On Conversion Therapy; Mississippi Tries To Ban Gay Prom Dates; Mr. Rogers Was Bi; Jussie Smollett Gets More Bad News

The Randy Report podcast covers politics, pop culture and entertainment news of interest to the LGBTQ community

In this week’s podcast:

• Utah’s governor apologizes for legislature’s failure to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’

• Empire star Jussie Smollett gets more bad news

• A Mississippi high school is pretending it isn’t trying to ban same-sex dates to prom

• Folks are surprised to learn that the iconic Mr. Rogers may have been bisexual

• And new music from country artist Cameron Hawthorn reminds of the romance of ‘Dancing in the Living Room’

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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Woman Climbs Over Barrier For Selfie With Jaguar In Zoo – Any Guesses What Happened?

According to the Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park in Arizona, a woman crawled over a barrier to get a selfie with a jaguar.

According to the Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park in Arizona, a woman crawled over a barrier to get a selfie with a jaguar.

In doing so, the jaguar attacked the woman leaving her with serious injuries to her arm.

Fortunately, the zoo assures nothing will happen to the jaguar.

“We can promise you nothing will happen to our jaguar,” tweeted the zoo. “She’s a wild animal and there were proper barriers in place to keep our guests safe – not a wild animals fault when barriers are crossed. Still sending prayers to her and her family.”

The jaguar should sue the woman for home invasion. #TeamJaguar

What on earth was she thinking?