Tag: Nevada

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News Round-Up: May 17, 2019

Ryan Worley (photo: Vinnie Cassidy)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk and Chippendale Ryan Worley (above) shares this with the caption, “When you didn’t know someone was taking your photo…” I’m thinking Mr. Worley should get used to folks taking his pic a lot.

• In an interview with Fox News, Democratic White House hopeful (and openly gay) Mayor Pete Buttigieg references the current president saying, “I’m old enough to remember when Republicans talked a lot about character in the Oval Office.”

• Nevada has become the fourth state to ban the use of so-called gay and trans panic defenses, following California, Rhode Island and Illinois.

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) grilled Daniel O’Day, the CEO of Gilead Sciences, over the high costs of the pharmaceutical company’s pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication Truvada.

As she correctly points out, Gilead is making billions a year from Truvada, but the core research for PrEP was paid for and done by the U.S. government. Watch AOC push for a decent answer:

• Following Alabama lawmakers, the Missouri House of Representatives has passed an anti-abortion bill that bans abortions after eight weeks into a pregnancy, and does not have an exception for victims of rape or incest.

• E! Online reports that Queer Eye co-stars Karamo Brown and Antoni Porowski had “an extreme amount of conflict” during the shooting of Season One of the Bravo series.

• Check out the first look trailer for the upcoming new super-hero series, Batwoman, on the CW this fall on Sundays. Australian actress Ruby Rose stars as the openly lesbian crime fighter.

Almost two millions views on YouTube in a day. But the like/dislike ratio is something to see – 87k thumbs down (homophobes) versus 36k thumbs up.

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News Round-Up: April 22, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• This is how InstaHunk Ignacio Pérez Rey welcomed his Monday in Madrid. Who else was excited for the new week?

• After a South Carolina family’s Pride flag was found ripped down and burned, neighbors began flying rainbow flags in solidarity.

• Rumors have surfaced that Kevin Hunter, husband for 22 years to Wendy Williams, had an ongoing sexual relationship with R&B singer Aveon Falstar during his marriage to Williams.

• A new University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll shows Sen. Bernie Sanders getting 30% support of likely Democratic primary voters in the Granite State. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who’s expected to announce his White House bid this week, came in at 18%, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 15%.

• Nevada is now the 10th US state to allow gender-neutral markers on identification documents. Residents can now choose ‘x’ in addition to’ for male and ‘f’ for female on drivers licenses and birth certificates.

• Randy Report favorite Pink drops the lyric video for the title track of her upcoming album, Hurts 2B Human, featuring Khalid.

The new collection, the pop icon’s 8th studio album, will be released Friday, April 26.

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Nevada State Senate Approves Ban On ‘Gay Panic’ Legal Defense

Nevada could soon be the fourth state in the country to ban the use of so-called ‘gay panic’ or ‘transgender panic’ legal defenses.

Nevada could soon be the fourth state in the country to ban the use of so-called ‘gay panic’ or ‘transgender panic’ legal defenses.

The bill, SB 97, passed in the state Senate by a vote of 19 – 2. State Sens. Ira Hansen and Pete Goicoechea, both Republicans, were the only lawmakers to vote no.

The legislation now moves to the state Assembly where Democrats outnumber Republicans 29 – 13.

The new legislation would ban legal defenses that argue an alleged criminal’s violent actions were justified or provoked by the knowledge of a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The defense tactic asks juries to blame the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity for the defendant’s alleged violent crimes.

Language in SB 97 specifically states that “an alleged state of passion or provocation” in a defendant will not be considered a valid defense “if it resulted from… [the] sexual orientation or gender identity or expression of the victim.”

According to the Williams Institute, successful use of the defense can result in murder charges being reduced to manslaughter or other lesser offenses.

The Nevada Current reports that the legislation has the support of the Human Rights Campaign, the Transgender Allies Group, PLAN Votes, Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, as well as other LGBTQ organizations.

Only three states – California, Illinois and Rhode Island – have laws in place today that specifically prohibit the use of the defense.

There is similar legislation currently working its way through six states – New Jersey, Washington State, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania – as well as Washington, D.C.

Perhaps the most well-known case that used a ‘gay panic’ defense was that of Matthew Shepard, who was beaten to death and left to die tied to a fence on a cold Wyoming night. The two men charged with his murder said ‘gay panic’ excused their actions.

In 2013, the American Bar Association overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for an end to the defense.

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Nevada Lawmakers Look To Ban ‘Gay Panic’ Defense

Lawmakers in Nevada are considering legislation that would prohibit the use of so-called ‘gay panic’ and ‘trans panic’ defenses in courts across the Silver state.

The bill, SB 97, would ban legal defenses that argue an alleged criminal’s violent actions were justified or provoked by the knowledge of a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The defense tactic asks juries to blame the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity for the defendant’s alleged violent crimes.

 The Nevada Current reports that the legislation has the support of the Human Rights Campaign, the Transgender Allies Group, PLAN Votes, Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, as well as other LGBTQ organizations.

Only three states – California, Illinois and Rhode Island – have laws in place today that specifically prohibit the use of the defense.

Additionally, there is similar legislation currently working its way through six states – New Jersey, Washington State, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania – as well as Washington, D.C.

Supporters of the bill say these defenses are based on “pseudo-science” that plays on irrational fears based on homophobia and transphobia against LGBTQ people in the criminal justice system. When successful, these defenses send a message that violence against LGBT people is somehow understandable or acceptable.

While the tactic is rarely utilized, it has been used with success in several hate crimes in almost half of all U.S. states.

One of the most famous cases that used a ‘gay panic’ defense was that of Matthew Shepard, who was beaten to death and left to die tied to a fence on a cold Wyoming night. The two men charged with his murder attempted to say their ‘gay panic’ excused their actions.

According to the Williams Institute, successful use of the defense can result in murder charges being reduced to manslaughter or other lesser offenses.

In 2013, the American Bar Association overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for an end to the defense.

(H/t Nevada Current)

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Openly Gay Senate Majority Leader Resigns Amid Charges Of Using Campaign Funds For Personal Use

Former Nevada lawmaker Kelvin Atkinson

Nevada’s Democratic Senate Majority Leader Kelvin Atkinson resigned from his legislative seat on Tuesday in an emotional speech telling his colleagues he would plead guilty to charges of using campaign funds for personal use, according to The Nevada Independent.

It was recently discovered that Atkinson had misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds for personal use.

Misuse of campaign funds is a state and federal crime which carries a possible prison sentence of 20 years.

“I am embarrassed, I am ashamed and I am truly, truly sorry,” Atkinson said a tear-filled speech from the floor of the Senate. “I pray for your forgiveness.”

“I hope to have the opportunity to prove someday that this is not who I am, just something I did wrong,” said the 49-year-old former lawmaker.

“I have no one to blame but myself,” he added. “I just pray that someday I will have the opportunity to contribute to my community once again in a meaningful way.”

Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak publicly denounced Atkinson’s deeds in a statement Tuesday morning.

“I am extremely disappointed in the news that Kelvin Atkinson misappropriated campaign funds for his personal use,” the governor said. “This admitted violation of the law goes against the integrity every elected officer in the state of Nevada should uphold.”

“Saddened and disappointed” were the words used by the executive director of the Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus, Cheryl Bruce.

Atkinsons’s deputy, state Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro, is reported to replaced him. She will be Nevada’s first female Senate Majority Leader.

First elected to the Nevada state Assembly in 2002, Atkinson joined the Senate in 2012. He was the Silver state’s first openly gay Senate leader, and only the third African American to hold the position.

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.

I am appreciative that Atkinson seems to be taking full responsibility for his actions, but it’s reprehensible that he so flagrantly broke the law.

Everyone has to follow the law, but being a minority and gay means having to work twice as hard to succeed. Any and all episodes like this only set us further back.

(h/t Nevada Independent)

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Nevada Elects Dead Pimp To Office Over Live Democrat

Dennis Hof

One more election result from the midterm elections to chat on.

There was lots of talk on cable news last night about how unpredictable elections tend to be in Florida.

But Nevada has its own unusual result that definitely lands in the ‘who would have thought’ category.

And it really explains how determined some folks are to just vote their party whether it pays off or not.

Dennis Hof, who’s a bit of a celebrity in the Silver State as the owner of seven legally-run brothels, won his race in the state Assembly District 36 by 26 points, defeating his Democratic opponent Lesia Romanov 63% to 37%.

Its a deep red district, and his semi-fame (he and one of his brothels is the subject of the HBO series Cathouse) surely helped him out.

The only problem is he died last month after partying hardy on his 72nd birthday.

According to state laws, it was too late to remove his name from the ballot.

District 36 covers all of Nye County and parts of Lincoln and Clark counties. So all three boards of commissioners will have to come together and agree on a replacement for the ‘vacancy.’

Nye County Commission Chairman John Koenig told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the commissioners will “probably put an advertisement in the newspaper, and solicit names for a short period of time.”

So Florida may have its surprises, but as Eric Herzik, political science chair at the University of Nevada/Reno said, “We voted for a dead man.”

(h/t Las Vegas Review Journal)

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Nevada: 12 Members Of Adam Laxalt’s Family Pen Op-Ed Opposing His Candidacy For Governor

In a devastating op-ed posted in the Reno Gazette, 12 Nevadans express their opposition to Republican candidate for governor, Adam Laxalt. Those 12 people happen to all be members of the Laxalt family.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Laxalt

In a devastating op-ed posted in the Reno Gazette, 12 Nevadans express their opposition to Republican candidate for governor, Adam Laxalt.

Those 12 people happen to all be members of the Laxalt family.

Here’s an excerpt from the Reno Gazette:

First, for those of us who were actually raised in Nevada, it’s difficult to hear him continue to falsely claim that he was raised in Nevada or has any true connections to Nevadans.

The simple fact is that while he may have been born in Reno, he left as an infant and was raised on the East Coast, 3,000 miles away, in Washington, D.C., and moved here only in 2013, only one year later launching his political career. Aside from the occasional short visit, Adam never knew the state or its people. Perhaps if he had, he would stand for Nevada’s values rather than for those of his out-of-state donors.

If he responds to this column at all, it will probably be to say that he hardly knows the people writing this column. And in many ways that would be true. We never had a chance to get to know him, really — he spent his life in Washington, D.C., while we lived in Northern Nevada and grew up in public schools and on public lands. He moved to Nevada in 2013 so that he could lean on the reputation of a family that he hardly knew while tapping into support by donors who had no interest in our state or its people.

It’s worth saying that this column isn’t about politics. We would be proud to have a Laxalt running for office on Nov. 6, regardless of whether they were Republican or Democrat or independent, so long as we believed that they would be good for Nevada.

We’re writing because we care about Nevada and because we know the truth about this candidate. We think that you should, too.

The op-ed is signed Gabriel Urza, Kevin Nomura, Amy Nomura Solaro, Alexandra Urza, Kevan Danielle Laxalt, Michelle Terese Laxalt, Peter Laxalt, Michelle Janet Laxalt, Dr. Kevin Marie Laxalt, Dr. Kristin Laxalt, Monique Laxalt and Meggan Laxalt Mackey.

The Laxalt family points out even though Adam is currently the Attorney General of Nevada, his tenure as a practicing lawyer was considered “a train wreck” by his own law firm members.

The op-ed also says that Laxalt had worked to undermine current two-term governor of Nevada, Republican Brian Sandoval. Sandoval has notably refused to endorse Laxalt in this year’s race.

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Podcast: Talking With Nevada State Senator Pat Spearman

Nevada state Sen. Pat Spearman

Today I’m talking with Nevada state Sen. Pat Spearman who is running for the Democratic nomination in Nevada’s District 4 for Congress.

The word “qualified” doesn’t even begin to cover the senator’s resume.

In her multi-faceted career, she’s earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, a Doctor of Business Administration degree, and a Masters degree in Divinity.

A 29 year veteran of the U.S. Army where she achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel, she was elected to the Nevada state Senate in two landslide victories.

Spearman is smart, smart, smart.

She’s the only LGBTQ candidate running in Nevada this election cycle.

Hit the play button as we talk about what’s at stake this campaign season.

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HRC Endorses Nelson Araujo For Nevada Secretary Of State

Nevada Assemblyman Nelson Araujo

The Human Rights Campaign has endorsed Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D-Las Vegas) for Nevada Secretary of State. This endorsement is the organization’s first ever for a secretary of state race.

If elected, Araujo would become the first LGBTQ person elected to statewide office.

“Millions of Americans–including LGBTQ people of color and transgender Americans–are more vulnerable to discrimination at the ballot box than ever before,” said HRC Nevada State Manager Briana Escamilla. “Nevadans can trust they have a proven champion of fairness and justice in Nelson Araujo and HRC is proud to endorse his candidacy for Secretary of State. We look forward to Assemblyman Araujo making history in November as the first openly LGBTQ person elected to statewide office in the Silver State.”

“The Human Rights Campaign has been an incredible force in the fight for equality in America. As a member of the LGBTQ community who has been working diligently to advance pro-LGBTQ policies in Nevada, this endorsement is personal. As Secretary of State, I will do all I can to ensure that we develop a more diverse, inclusive Nevada that works for everyone,” said Araujo.

Araujo has been a member of the Nevada State Assembly for two terms, serving as Assistant Majority Floor Leader in the most recent legislative session. Throughout his time in the State Legislature, he has consistently led the fight on LGBTQ equality, and was instrumental in last year’s push for a statewide ban on so-called “conversion therapy” for minors. He was also political co-chair of the HRC Las Vegas steering committee from 2011 to 2014. If elected, Araujo would be the first Latinx Secretary of State in Nevada and the first openly LGBTQ person elected to statewide office in Nevada.

He will be facing incumbent Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, who is seeking a second term. During her time as a state legislator prior to becoming Secretary of State, Cegavske opposed marriage equality and was the lead sponsor of a bill that would have allowed discrimination against LGBTQ people in housing and public accommodations.

Folks love a local success story.

Araujo is a native Nevadan born and raised in Las Vegas. He received both his bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

In the 2017 session, all seven of the priority bills Nelson authored were passed by a Democratic legislature with bipartisan support and signed into law by a Republican governor.

So this is a guy who works well with others to get things done.

Click here for more info on Araujo.

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Trump Takes A Swipe At Sen. Heller: “He Wants To Remain A Senator, Right?”

Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada (L) next to President Trump

President Trump held a lunch with Republican Senators today where he said they should skip the planned August recess and remain in Washington until they pass a health care reform bill.

Just curious – will Trump stay in Washington as opposed to jetting off to one of his golf courses?

At the lunch, Trump took some not-so-veiled swipes at GOP senators who weren’t on board the recent GOP health care bill. He took direct aim at Nevada Sen. Dean Heller who was seated right next to him.

Via the Daily Beast:

“The other night I was surprised when I heard a couple of my friends—my friends, they really were and are. They might not be very much longer, but that’s okay. I think I have to get them back,” he said to laughter in the room, at one point turning to Heller to say, “[You were] the one we were worried about. You weren’t there. You’re going to be.”

And then Trump added: “He wants to remain a senator, doesn’t he?” The president continued, as Heller’s smile turned uncomfortable: “I think the people of your state—which I know very well—I think they’re going to appreciate it whenever you do.”

Trust and believe that it was no accident that Heller is seated right next to the president.

Heller, currently in his first term, is considered the most vulnerable Republican senator up for re-election next year as Hillary Clinton won Nevada handily in last year’s presidential election.

Watch Trump needle Heller below.