Tag: Andrew Gillum

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News: Iowa Mayor Steps Up For LGBTQs, Ethics-Challenged Clarence Thomas + More

An Iowa mayor rejected a request from constituents to officially recognize June as Pride Month. And then LGBTQ residents changed his mind.
(image via Depositphotos)
Some news items you might have missed: • Washington Post: An Iowa mayor rejected a request from constituents to officially recognize June as Pride Month. And then LGBTQ residents changed his mind. Continue reading “News: Iowa Mayor Steps Up For LGBTQs, Ethics-Challenged Clarence Thomas + More”

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News Round-Up: February 5, 2021

Photo of a studly football referee during the 2016 Super Bowl

Photo of a studly football referee during the 2016 Super Bowl
Remember him? (via 2016 Super Bowl)
Some news items you might have missed: • Super Bowl: So, I grew up watching tons of football because my dad was a sports writer. And I still enjoy it, so you can be sure I’ll be watching the big SportsBall game on Sunday for moments like the one above – remember the attention this ref (rightfully) received during the big game in 2016? • Out: Florida Democrat and one-time candidate for governor Andrew Gillum has opened up with more details of that fateful night in Miami when he was found in a hotel room passed out with a male prostitute. “At this point I’m like, ‘This is set up.'” • Kenneth-in-the-212: Don’t miss Kenneth’s weekly round-up of LGBTQ publications like Valentine’s hotties Franco & Roberto covering Hot Spots Magazine (below).
(cover image via Hot Spots Magazine)
• The Advocate: A group of 185 actors came out in Germany to demand more LGBTQ+ diversity in film, television, and theater through a manifesto in a national newspaper. Among the issues raised is the fear of losing the opportunity to portray straight people due to biases in casting. “We are actors. We don’t have to be what we play. We act as though we were — that is our job.” • LA Times: Fox News Media has canceled “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” the program hosted by one of Donald Trump’s staunchest supporters. The cancellation comes a day after voting software company Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox News and three of its hosts — Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro. • AP News: Johnson & Johnson asked U.S. regulators Thursday to clear the world’s first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, an easier-to-use option that could boost scarce supplies. The vaccine was 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, according to early findings from a study of 44,000 people, but it was 85% protective against the most serious symptoms. • Deadline: Christopher Plummer, who starred in The Sound of Music, won an Oscar for Beginners and was nominated for All the Money in the World and The Last Station, died peacefully today at his home in Connecticut, his family confirmed. Along with becoming the oldest person to win an Oscar, Plummer also won a pair of Emmys and two Tonys during a nearly 70-year career.

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Andrew Gillum Comes Out As Bisexual

Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (screen capture)
Andrew Gillum, former mayor of Tallahassee and the first Black nominee for Florida governor, came out as bisexual today on The Tamron Hall Show. “I don’t identify as gay,” Gillum said, “but I do identify as bisexual. And that is something I have never shared publicly before.” You may recall Gillum was found naked and drunk in a hotel in Miami Beach in March 2020. An associate, Travis Dyson, was treated for an apparent drug overdose at the time. Gillum denied he went to hotel room to take part in any kind of sexual situation. When it was reported the police had apparently confiscated what was believed to be crystal meth, Gillum said he’d never used the drug. He checked into a rehab facility shortly thereafter. Related: Andrew Gillum Involved In Crystal Meth Incident Gillum’s wife, R. Jai Gillum, took part in today’s interview and confirmed that she’s been aware of her husband’s sexual orientation. She shared that she feels her husband’s sexuality should not be part of the public discourse because of widespread misconceptions about bisexuality. “So many people just don’t understand bisexuality,” his wife said. “All I care about is what’s between us and what agreement we make.” Gillum came up short in the 2018 race for governor of Florida to Republican Ron DeSantis. A longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights and protections, Gillum is a former mayor of Tallahassee, the capital city of Florida.

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News Round-Up: March 18, 2020

Me with birthday girl Vanessa Williams
Some news items you might have missed: • Happy Birthday: Bestest birthday wishes to my Syracuse University bestie, Vanessa Williams! V is currently in London where she’s starring in the (currently coronavirus-paused) West End production of the Tony Award-winning musical, City of Angels. The pic above was taken a couple of years ago when I introduced her at the Nevada Ballet Theatre’s ‘Woman of the Year’ event. Always much, much fun to catch up with, I can affirm she’s still ‘saving the best for last.’ • PrideSource: Devon Robinson was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the spring 2019 shooting deaths of Alunte Davis, Timothy Blancher and Paris Cameron as well as assault with intent to murder two others. Both Davis and Blancher were gay and Cameron was a transgender woman. This week a jury found Robinson guilty of all charges. Prosecutors say Robinson’s actions were an attempt to cover up having taken part in an orgy with the trio. • Instinct Magazine: Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL), the most conservative Democrat in the House, lost his primary race last night to progressive challenger Marie Newman, and LGBTQ folks are cheering. Lipinski has repeatedly voted against LGTBQ rights and protections. He voted “present” for a proposed U.S. constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, voted against an early version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and gave his support to the First Amendment Defense Act, which supported the “religious freedom” movement. #GoodRiddance • Yahoo News: A new survey released Tuesday from NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist polling shows that only 37 percent of those polled have either “a good amount” or “a great deal” of trust in the information they hear from the president about the coronavirus, while 60 percent say they do “not very much” or “not at all” trust Trump’s words on the subject. • KIT212: Kenneth remembers 11 times hunky Lyle Waggoner stole the show on The Carol Burnett Show.
Lyle Waggoner (via kenneth-in-the-212)
• Washington Post: White House officials are working with congressional Republicans on an emergency stimulus package that could send two $1,000 checks to many Americans and also devote $300 billion towards helping small businesses avoid mass layoffs, according to two senior administration officials and a Treasury Department fact sheet. • LGBTQ Nation: Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) voted against the “America First Coronavirus Response Act” this week because he said it “redefined family” by including sick leave to care for an unmarried partner’s children. Biggs went on to say that sick leave for domestic partner’s children has “nothing to do with the coronavirus.” • New York Post: After being found inebriated inside a Miami Beach hotel room with another man who allegedly overdosed on crystal meth, former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum has announced he is withdrawing from public life and entering rehab for alcohol abuse. • NBC News: By a vote of 90-8 the Senate voted to approve a second coronavirus aid bill Wednesday, paving the way for lawmakers to turn their attention to a third proposal that could include direct payments to Americans. Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law. The bill provides free coronavirus testing, paid emergency leave for those who are infected or caring for a family member with the illness, additional Medicaid funding, food assistance, and unemployment benefits.  

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Miami Beach: Andrew Gillum Involved In Crystal-Meth Incident

L-R Andrew Gillum (photo via campaign site), Travis Dyson (photo via Facebook)
When police responded to a cardiac-arrest distress call at a Miami Beach hotel early Friday morning, they found Andrew Gillum, former mayor of Tallahassee and Democratic gubernatorial candidate, in an inebriated state in the hotel room. According to the Miami New Times, paramedics were treating another male, identified as Travis Dyson, for possible drug overdose when the police arrived. From the Miami New Times:

The officers stated that the third man involved in the incident, Aldo Mejias, had lent Dyson his credit-card information to rent a hotel room yesterday afternoon and that the two were supposed to meet later that day. Mejias told the officers that he arrived at the hotel room around 11 p.m. and that Dyson opened the door and then immediately collapsed on a bed and began vomiting. Mejias said he began giving Dyson CPR and called 911.

Mejias told police Gillum was inside the hotel room “under the influence of an unknown substance.” Mejias said that while he was performing CPR on Dyson, Gillum was vomiting in a bathroom. Officers said that they tried to speak with Gillum but that he was “unable to communicate due to his inebriated state.”

Miami Beach Fire-Rescue said it responded to the hotel a second time for a “welfare check” on Gillum, at which time he was in a stable condition.

The officers said they found three small baggies of “suspected crystal meth” on “both the bed and floor of the hotel room.” Officers said Gillum left the hotel room “without incident” that night and went home.

No criminal charges have been filed at this time. Miami Herald reporter David Smiley shared via Twitter a statement from Gillum saying he has “never used methamphetamines.”

New Times attempted to contact Mejias but received no return call. The newspaper reached Dyson by phone Friday afternoon but he seemed confused about anyone attending a wedding. “I personally was not celebrating a wedding,” said Dyson. “I don’t know if [Gillum] was in town for a wedding. He did not mention that.” Additionally, Dyson shared that he’s known Gillum “for a while.” The New Times reports that Dyson, when pressed further about his friendship with Gillum, went silent and hung up. He didn’t answer subsequent calls. Since the story broke, several people on social media have shared that Dyson is a well-known male escort in the Miami area.

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Trump Tweets Dog Whistle Calling Black Florida Gubernatorial Candidate ‘A Thief’

In an obvious racist dog whistle, Donald Trump attacked the Democratic candidate for governor in Florida, Mayor Andrew Gillum of Tallahassee, today.

Trump compared Gillum to the Republican candidate, Rep. Ron DeSantis, bringing up DeSantis’ college pedigree while calling Gillum a ‘thief.’

Not only is it racist to call Gillum a “thief” for no apparent reason, but Trump is insinuating that Gillum’s education is somehow subpar.

Gillum went to Florida A&M, a top ranked HBCU.

The mayor wasted no time in clapping back at the Trumpster calling him a coward and ‘weak:’ “On Twitter there is a choice between having the courage to @ the person you are trash talking, or not. @realDonaldTrump is howling because he’s weak. Florida, go vote today.”

The governor’s race in Florida is one of the most highly-watched elections this election cycle.

Gillum is the first black nominee from any major party for governor of Florida.

According to RealClearPolitics, Gillum currently leads DeSantis in polls by an average of 3.2 points.

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Florida: GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Says Voters Shouldn’t “Monkey This Up” Voting For HIs Black Opponent

Ron DeSantis (L), Andrew Gillum (R)

Check out the dog whistle from Florida’s newly-crowned Republican candidate for governor, Ron DeSantis, who says Floridians shouldn’t “monkey this up” by electing his “articulate” Democratic opponent, Tallehasse Mayor Andrew Gillum, a black man.

Now, racists have used the term “monkey” for decades to refer to black people.

DeSantis’ campaign claims “monkey this up” is a phrase he uses all the time and it has nothing to do with race.

I’ve personally never heard the phrase in my life, and I tend to get around.

And what’s with acknowledging Gillum as “articulate?”

#dogwhistle

Fox News apologized for DeSantis’ comments a short time later.

The mayor of Tallehasse would be the first African-American to lead the state.  

Gillum clapped back with dignity: