Tag: Capitol invasion

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News Round-Up: February 26, 2021

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons
Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons (photo via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • KTNV: Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds (above) is donating his childhood home in Las Vegas to help LGBTQ youth. Reynolds’ home will serve as Nevada’s first-ever Encircle Resource Center which helps more than 70,000 kids and their families each year. • Instinct Magazine: Benjamin Davis has been charged with capital murder in the death of a man Harris County deputies said he targeted for robbery. His tool? The gay dating app Grindr. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out the weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like Wilson Lai (below) covering DNA Magazine.
Cover of DNA Magazine
(image via DNA Magazine)
• Reuters: The U.S. Justice Department has charged more than 300 people with taking part in the deadly storming of the Capitol by former President Donald Trump’s supporters, and at least 280 have been arrested. • The Advocate: A worker at KFC was fired for screaming ‘f*cking queers’ at a gay couple picking up food via the drive-through window. • Stonewall Gazette: The short film, The Dirt Between My Fingers, follows an unlikely friendship when two boys meet under strange circumstances. A coming (out) of age short film about first love.

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News Round-Up: February 24, 2021

French InstaHunk Yeti (via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Just because I like looking at nice things…Hump Day moment via French hunk Yeti (above). Follow him here. • Instinct Magazine: A new documentary, Trans in Trumpland, shines new light on how the Trump administration affected the lives of transgender people. • Washington Blade: D.C.’s FOX 5 News anchor Blake McCoy, who’s gay, has been suspended from his job following a since-deleted tweet saying he is “annoyed obese people of all ages get priority vaccine access before all essential workers” like himself. He later apologized saying he regretted his words and asked “that you accept my sincere apology.” • CNBC: The Food and Drug Administration’s staff endorsed Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, a critical step in bringing a third shot to the U.S. marketplace. The vaccine’s level of protection varied by region demonstrating 66% effectiveness overall, 72% in the United States, 66% in Latin America and 57% in South Africa. • NPR: The cost of repairing damages from the attack on the U.S. Capitol and related security expenses have already topped $30 million and will keep rising, Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton told lawmakers on Wednesday. • CNN: The Manhattan district attorney’s office has subpoenaed financial records related to Steve Bannon’s crowd-funding border-wall effort, signaling that its criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s chief strategist is advancing. Bannon’s presidential pardon only shields him from federal, not state, crimes.

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Transgender Insurrectionist Asks For Release From Jail Citing Safety Concerns

Transgender insurrectionist Jessica Watkins

Transgender insurrectionist Jessica Watkins
Jessica Watkins (mug shot)
A transgender woman arrested for taking part in the January 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol building has asked to be released from jail until her trial citing safety concerns while in custody. Jessica Watkins, a member of the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers, was arrested January 17 on some of the most serious charges related to the violent insurrection. Her lawyer alleges Watkins has been “treated harshly” during her time in jail reports Buzzfeed. Because she is transgender, her lawyer says she is at “particular risk in custody.” According to the petition for release, Watkins says she suffered an arm injury while being held in an Ohio county jail and was refused medical treatment. The 38-year-old apparently went on a four-day  hunger strike in order to protest that decision. She says officials responded by stripping her naked and leaving her “in a cell with lights on 24 hours a day for 4 days in full view of everyone.” In asking for release, Watkins argues she is not threat to the public and offered to wear a monitoring device. Her attorney admits his client’s actions on January 6 were “misguided,” but alleges Watkins “believed that the president of the United States was calling upon her.” The public defender claims his client “did not vandalize anything … or engage in any destruction of property, and in fact, encouraged others not to vandalize.” The petition also notes that Watkins “drove nearly eight hours to turn herself in to local police” after discovering she was wanted for questioning. But prosecutors point to photographs of Watkins, a former Army Ranger, showing up to the Capitol building in full tactical gear. Upon arriving, she joined other Oath Keepers in pushing through the hyped up mob, up the stairs and inside the building. Investigators also obtained text messages from Watkins shortly after Joe Biden was declared the winner in the 2020 presidential election inviting people to her group’s basic training in Ohio. “I need you fighting fit by innaugeration [sic],” read one message.

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News Round-Up: February 19, 2021

New scintillating ad from DSquared2

New scintillating ad from DSquared2
(screen capture via DSquared2)
Some news items you might have missed: • Instinct Magazine: The acclaimed indie film, Ma Belle, My Beauty, a queer polyamorous love story that was embraced by critics when it debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, has scored a distribution deal. • AP News: A federal judge has dismissed a discrimination lawsuit by a transgender fire chief due to a technical flaw with the initial complaint she filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Rachel Mosby led a rural Georgia city’s fire department for more than a decade, then got fired 18 months after first coming to work as a woman. • DSquared2: Model Malik Delgaty (top image) puts on a private show in this provocative one minute spot for the brand’s Stripped2 underwear line. “What happens in the Secret Room will remain at the Secret Room.”

• BosGuy: It’s ‘Furry Friday’ at the Boston-based LGBTQ blog and this week’s hottie ticks the “fur” and “ginger” boxes 🙂 • HuffPost: Six Capitol Police officers have been suspended with pay and 29 others are under investigation for their alleged roles in the riot last month. According to Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), one of the suspended officers took a selfie with a person who was part of the mob that overtook the Capitol. Another wore a “Make America Great Again” hat and appeared to direct rioters around the building. • New York Post: Wait – Sen. Ted Cruz’s Mexico vacation blunder gets even worse. After telling reporters his home, like many Texans, had lost water and heat – he apparently left the family poodle Snowflake behind in the cold.

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Trump & McCarthy Had Expletive-Laden Shouting Match During Capitol Invasion

(screen capture via CNN)
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican from Washington state, has told CNN that Donald Trump got into a heated conversation with House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy while the U.S. Capitol building was being invaded on January 6. Herrea Beutler and other House Republicans have confirmed the details of the call wherein McCarthy begged Trump to call off his mob. From CNN:

“Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are,” Trump said, according to lawmakers who were briefed on the call afterward by McCarthy.

McCarthy insisted that the rioters were Trump’s supporters and begged Trump to call them off.

Trump’s comment set off what Republican lawmakers familiar with the call described as a shouting match between the two men.

A furious McCarthy told the President the rioters were breaking into his office through the windows, and asked Trump, “Who the f–k do you think you are talking to?” according to a Republican lawmaker familiar with the call.

Multiple House Republicans say the call demonstrates Trump had no intention of calling off the rioters even as lawmakers were under siege. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), who voted last month to impeach Trump, said, “I think it speaks to the former President’s mindset. He was not sorry to see his unyieldingly loyal vice president or the Congress under attack by the mob he inspired. In fact, it seems he was happy about it or at the least enjoyed the scenes that were horrifying to most Americans across the country.” This news broke after the impeachment proceedings had ended for the day. As Dan Rather asks, how do you not call McCarthy as a witness at this point?

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QAnon Shaman: ‘I Am Deeply Disappointed In Trump’

Jacob Chansley, aka the QAnon Shaman, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in the Jan 6 Capitol Building invasion

Jake Angeli, aka the 'QAnon Shaman'
Jake Angeli (screen capture)
Jake Angeli, aka the “QAnon Shaman,” who proudly took part in the violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, now says he is “disappointed” in Donald Trump and apologizes for his participation in the January riot. Angeli, whose real name is Jacob Chansley, said in a statement released by his attorney, he now realizes he was “wrong.” From the Arizona Republic:

Angeli, whose costume and painted face had helped make him an icon of the incursion, was arrested by the FBI and charged with six criminal counts, including two felonies, that could net him 28 years in prison. He has been ordered held in custody in D.C. pending trial.

Angeli said that his incarceration “has permitted me to start reanalyzing my life,” the statement said.

Among the aspects of his life, he has re-analyzed was his support of Trump.

“I am deeply disappointed in former President Trump,” Angeli said in his statement. “He was not honorable. He let a lot of peaceful people down.”

Angeli expressed regret for his actions on January 6 in his statement as well. “I am sorry for having aroused fear in the hearts of others. That was wrong. Period.” “Please be patient with me and other peaceful people who, like me, are having a very difficult time piecing together all that happened to us, around us, and by us,” he added. “We are good people who care deeply about our country.” If you put all of that through a Google Translate, it comes out: “I really don’t like being in prison. Get me out of here.”

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Impeachment: Senate Votes 56-44 That Trump Trial Is Constitutional

U.S. Senate votes that second impeachment of Donald Trump is constitutional

U.S. Senate votes that second impeachment of Donald Trump is constitutional
(screen capture via C-Span2)
As the first day of Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial got underway, House Managers leading the prosecution against Trump began with a powerful video presentation compiled from actual footage from the January 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol building. Following the video, Trump’s own lawyers, during a meandering speech, acknowledged the video was a very compelling argument. It’s worth noting that, in a written response a day ago, Trump’s lawyers described the mob who attacked the U.S. Capitol building “a small group of criminals.” “A small group?” That sounds like five, six people…a dinner party… Does this look like a “small group of criminals?”

Weeks ago, five Republicans voted with Senate Democrats that the impeachment proceeding was constitutional. After today’s presentations, Sen. Cassidy (R-LA) changed his mind and made it six Republicans who believe the impeachment is constitutional as the final vote was 56-44. Many sources are reporting that Trump was irate to the point of screaming at the TV as his lawyer failed to make a full-throated defense. Even Trump-friendly legal expert Alan Dershowitz admitted on the far-right leaning outlet Newsmax that Trump’s team didn’t score any points today.

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Arrested Capitol Invader Who Beat Cop Says He Was ‘Inspired’ By Trump

Police officer crushed in doorway at U.S. Capitol

Police officer crushed in doorway at U.S. Capitol
(screen capture)
Several of the insurrectionists that stormed the U.S. Capitol building on January 6 are now using, as a legal defense, that they were just doing what Donald Trump told them to do Ruh-roh From The Hill:

Emanuel Jackson, 20, of D.C., who prosecutors say was seen on video punching a police officer and hitting others with a metal bat, is one of at least six people charged in the raid who are pinning at least some blame on Trump in their defense, Reuters reported Tuesday.

Brandi Harden, who is representing Jackson as he faces federal assault charges, wrote in a Jan. 22 court filing that “the nature and circumstances of this offense must be viewed through the lens of an event inspired by the President of the United States.”

The raid on the Capitol, she said, “appears to have been spontaneous and sparked by the statements made during the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally” held by Trump and his supporters earlier on Jan. 6.

Several more stories at the link including the so-called QAnon Shaman now claiming he was ‘duped’ by Trump. Read the full article here.

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Many Of The ‘Stop The Steal’ Insurrectionists Didn’t Even Vote

CNN found many insurrectionists didn't even vote in the presidential election
Donovan Crowl (mugshot)
We all recall the chaos and mayhem caused by the hundreds of Trump supporters who invaded the U.S. Capitol building on January 6. You know, the ones who felt so DEEPLY that the presidential election they held SO DEAR had been stolen from them? CNN did a deep dive into the voting histories of some 80+ people who have already been arrested for taking part in the insurrection and found many of the insurrectionists didn’t even vote. Just one story:

Federal authorities later identified Crowl, 50, as a member of a self-styled militia organization in his home state of Ohio and affiliated with the extremist group the Oath Keepers. His mother told CNN that he previously told her “they were going to overtake the government if they…tried to take Trump’s presidency from him.”

Despite these apparent pro-Trump views, a county election official in Ohio told CNN that he registered in 2013 but “never voted nor responded to any of our confirmation notices to keep him registered,” so he was removed from the voter rolls at the end of 2020 and the state said he was not registered in Ohio.

Crowl was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of destruction of government property and conspiracy for allegedly coordinating with others to plan their attack.

There’s much more at the click. CNN notes that some of the voting records of those who have been charged in the Capitol riots were not available to the public. So there may be even more hypocritical ‘patriots’ out there who couldn’t bother to cast a ballot.

(image via Twitter/JohnPavlovitz)

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Guess Which State Has The Most Capitol Riot Arrests?

Jacob Chansley, aka the QAnon Shaman, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in the Jan 6 Capitol Building invasion

Jake Angeli took part in the Capitol invasion (screen capture)
After receiving over 100,000 photo and video tips, the FBI has opened about 200 case files in tracking down and arresting the perpetrators of the January 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol building. The Soufan Center has been tracking the arrests to determine how far the insurrectionists traveled for the incident. From Statista:

Up to January 22, arrests had been made in 35 out of 50 states with one person apprehended as far away as Hawaii. That individual was Nick Ochs who describes himself as “a Proud Boy Elder from Hawaii” who was arrested at Honolulu Airport upon his return from Washington.

So far, Texas has the highest arrest count out of all U.S. states with 14 apprehensions with New York and Florida following with 11 and 10, respectively.

(graphic via Statista)