Tag: Arkansas

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Legislator Calls Mask Mandate ‘Draconian,’ Now Hospitalized With COVID-19

Arkansas State Sen. Jason Rapert (image via Facebook)
A virulently anti-LGBTQ lawmaker in Arkansas who decried his state’s face mask mandate as “draconian” has been hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus.  State Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) has also been diagnosed with pneumonia. ArkansasOnline reports he is in the hospital and responding well to treatment. The 48-year-old self-described social and fiscal conservative criticized Gov. Asa Hutchinson just a week ago when the face mask mandate went into effect. “There is no question that Covid19 is serious and can be very deadly for those with underlying conditions and the elderly,” wrote Rapert on his Facebook page. “But the fact is 99% of our nation has not been afflicted and this pandemic is no worse statistically than other severe outbreaks we have endured without draconian measures isolating the healthy and shutting down our entire economy. Even though he’s told his Facebook followers that “we have all been doing our best to wear a mask,” the senator preached (sans face mask) at the Potsville Assembly of God on July 6 about not being a “slave to fear.”

Earlier this year, Rapert denounced an appearance by openly gay Tony/Grammy/Emmy Award-winner Billy Porter on the children’s television series Sesame Street and called for defunding his state’s PBS affiliate. Rapert promoted an online petition expressing disgust over “Sesame Street’s decision to push drag queens on children,” and demanding that the show drop the episode featuring Porter.

When one commenter asked Rapert if Jesus would “approve of [his] judgment and intolerance,” Rapert dismissed the query saying, “You are totally amiss and you know it. Christians do not support anti-Biblical behavior. The Bible is clear on certain sins — including homosexuality.” Page Six asked Porter about the kerfuffle and the Pose star replied, “If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.” “Like, what about me singing with a penguin [on the show] has anything to do with what I’m doing in my bedroom?”  Rapert has also called for bombing the Middle East with nuclear weapons, and in 2017 sponsored a resolution calling for a federal constitutional convention to add an amendment to the U.S. Constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman.  In 2015, he claimed Pride parades were held on Sundays to “mock Christians” and “try to intimidate people who believe in the Word of God.” In 2014, the state senator called for impeaching the judge who overturned his state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Rapert is currently the only announced candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022.

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Podcast: Jussie Smollett Attacked, Rita Moreno Honored, An Armed Disruptor At Drag Queen Storytime

In this week’s podcast:

• Protester with a gun disrupts Drag Queen Storytime in Houston

• Anti-gay former county Clerk Kim Davis may have to pay big buck for denying same-sex couples marriage licenses

• New Jersey will soon have LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum in schools

• Empire star Jussie Smollett attacked in homophobic, racist assault in Chicago – returns to the concert stage

• Arkansas Supreme Court reverses on Fayetteville city ordinance protecting LGBTQ people

• And my chat with the living legend and EGOT, Rita Moreno

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report.

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News Round-Up: October 17, 2018

• Rapper and bodybuilder Léo Stronda, 26-years-old from Brazil (above), is my new InstaHunk find! #woof
Léo Stronda

Some news items you might have missed:

• Rapper and bodybuilder Léo Stronda, 26-years-old from Brazil (above), is my new InstaHunk find! #woof

• Arkansas (of all places) is issuing gender-neutral IDs to non-binary citizens

• Lawmakers in Thailand are working on legislation that would give same-sex couples legal recognition via civil unions. Passage of the new law would make Thailand the first country in Asia to recognize gay/lesbian relationships.

• Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous fame hints at an AbFab reunion saying she “might be writing a little something.”

• A new report from Essex University seems to say that if your ring finger is longer than your index finger, it could indicate you’re gay. Not sure I believe that…

• Non-binary singer/songwriter Grayson has released their new single, “Brother.” The track is a personal anthem about needing to break free from both internal and external pressures.

“‘Brother’ is about the sometimes chaotic relationship with yourself, and everyone else,” says Grayson.

Grayson is new to me, so let’s check out “Brother.”

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Anti-LGBTQ Arkansas Pastor Busted – Again – On Child Sex Crimes

In today’s ‘good Christian’ news…

Timothy Lee Reddin, a 67-year-old pastor at Turner Street Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, loves to get riled up and shriek about the evils of homosexuality from the pulpit.

You know what’s coming now, right?

Reddin was arrested on August 3 after chatting up what he believed was a 14-year-old boy on a ‘dating site.’

Reddin’s problem is the young boy was in reality an undercover cop posing as a teen in a sting operation.

Reddin setup a ‘meeting’ with the teen for sex. But when he showed up at the meeting spot, he was met by officers.

KARK-4 reports:

“Lee” described himself in his profile as a 62-year-old white male, 6’1″, 215 pounds and married. The profile description said, “I just wanna have fun…I like younger guys. But hell, at my age that’s just about everybody! Discreet, intelligent, witty, professional guy. Love to meet new friends. Especially naked ones,” according to the affidavit.

Married for almost 50 years with 4 grown children and 7 grandchildren, Reddin was booked in his local jail where he was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

But wait – there’s more!

Reddin was busted and convicted in 2000 for possession of child pornography eventually spending 27 months in prison and registering as a sex offender after being released.

(h/t Queerty)

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Former Arkansas Judge Sentenced To 5 Years Prison For Trading Dismissals For Nude Photos

Former Judge O. Joseph Boeckmann

Via CourtHouseNews:

A former Arkansas judge was sentenced Wednesday to five years in federal prison for dismissing minor criminal cases in exchange for nude photographs or sexual favors from male defendants.

O. Joseph Boeckmann, a former district court judge in Cross County, pleaded guilty in October to wire fraud and witness tampering. He admitted on Wednesday that the seven-year-long scheme defrauded cities and counties of money and property they should have received as fines or fees from the people whose cases were fraudulently dismissed.

U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker also fined 72-year-old Boeckmann $50,000 and sentenced him to three years of supervised release after he does his time.

Prosecutors said Boeckmann admitted abusing his judicial position to dismiss traffic citations and misdemeanor criminal charges for young men in exchange for what he claimed was “community service.” He used his access to them during their purported community service to take photographs of them in compromising positions.

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Podcast: HGTV’s Gay Married Hosts, SCOTUS To Review Denying Services For Same-Sex Weddings, Pentagon Delays Trans Recruits

In this week’s headlines on The Randy Report podcast:

• The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review whether a Colorado baker can refuse to sell a wedding cake for a same-sex couple

• The Pentagon hits “delay” on allowing transgender recruits to join the U.S. military

• The Texas Supreme Court gets it wrong on same-sex married couples rights

• HGTV has it’s first show hosted by a married gay couple

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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First Attack Ad Aligning Donald Trump and Down-Ballot Senate Republicans

Should Donald Trump become the Republican nominee for president (and it’s looking like that’s where the GOP is headed), you can expect to see a LOT more campaign spots like this from Democratic U.S. Senate candidates who declare their support for the Donald.

From Connor Eldridge, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Arkansas.

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News Round-Up: September 9, 2015

Some news stories you may have missed:

• Talk about a queen with staying power – Queen Elizabeth II is now the longest reigning monarch in United Kingdom history.

• A year after a repeal campaign led by the infamous Duggar family overturned LGBT protections in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a special election held last night passed an new (although flawed) version of the ordinance 53%-47%.

• Mike Huckabee admits he blocked Sen. Ted Cruz from appearing at the Kim Davis rally.

• Edging up to Donald Trump in the polls, retired surgeon Dr. Ben Carson questions Donald Trump’s “faith.” Smart move or torpedo?

• Caitlyn Jenner is still lukewarm on the idea of marriage equality.

• Rogue county clerk Kim Davis received fan mail while cooling her heels in the hoosegow. I’m sure she’s hoping for lots of checks in those envelopes since her crowd-sourcing campaign has stalled BIG TIME.

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Arkansas: Same-Sex Couples Sue Health Officials Over Birth Certificates

The AP is reporting that three same-sex couples have filed lawsuits in Arkansas as state Health officials refused to list both parents on their children’s birth certificates.

The married women said in the lawsuit filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court that the state Health Department would list only the biological mother on the birth certificate, and said they were told they would need a court order to name both spouses. The couples sought the birth certificates after last month’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down gay marriage bans nationwide.

The lawsuit says not providing the birth certificates “(deprives) these children of the dignity, legitimacy, security, support and protections provided to children of heterosexual couples, regardless of marital status.”

Of course, if these were opposite-sex couples there would be no problem listing the two parents.

A spokesperson for the state Attorney General’s office has declined to comment.