Via Business Insider: Real-estate magnate Donald Trump tweeted a challenge to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Friday, encouraging his Republican presidential rival to attack him. Trump was responding to a report in The New York Times the day before that quoted Cruz suggesting that voters would start to question the foreign-policy judgment of both Trump and another GOP candidate, …

Well, this will keep the tabloids busy for a while. Via the New York Post: A Catholic priest swiped collection-plate donations to pay for drug-fueled sex romps with a heavily muscled S&M “master,” a new lawsuit charges. Parishioners claim the Rev. Peter Miqueli has stolen at least $1 million since 2003 while leading churches on Roosevelt Island and in The Bronx, …

Clip recap: “The cast of the popular ITV series Downton Abbey (Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville and Allen Leech) perform a scene of the show, but substituted their British accents for American ones. The stars attempted a twist on the British period drama during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday.” (Tipped by JMG reader Chris)

It all started with a bouquet of roses and a “crotch grab.” The fight began between MPs from the president’s Petro Poroshenko Bloc (PPB) and Yatsenyuk’s People’s Front (PF). It allegedly all started when Oleg Barna (PPB) went up to the tribune while Yatsenyuk was giving a speech, presented him a bouquet of roses and then tried to carry him …

Nutjob anti-gay and anti-abortion activist Rives Miller Grogan pleaded guilty to disrupting the Supreme Court’s Obergefell hearing back in September. Today he was sentenced to 21 days in jail and ordered to stay away from the court building for one year. Via the Washington Post: Grogan, 50, of Mansfield, Tex., pleaded guilty in September to one misdemeanor charge of unlawful …

The Desert Sun reports: George Zander, who was a prominent activist in the Coachella Valley’s LGBT community, died Thursday, his husband said. Zander, 71, died “in loving arms and in very little pain,” his husband, Chris Zander, said in a Facebook post. “His passion and strength has paved the road for many of us to follow and build from. His …

Iowa’s virulently anti-LGBT Bob Vander Plaats, head of the Family Leader, has joined NOM in endorsing Ted Cruz. Via Right Wing Watch: Vander Plaats is one of several right-wing figures to coalesce behind Cruz, who has attracted the support of ultraconservative activists like Troy Newman, who wishes the government would execute abortion providers; Ron Baity, a pastor who links gay …

“For some time I have been saying that Muslim immigration into the United States should be stopped until we can properly vet them or until the war with Islam is over. Donald J. Trump has been criticized by some for saying something similar. Our politicians are not listening to the truth—my prayer is that God will open their eyes. This …

Ooh, papa toony. Get her. Via Mediaite: A group of ardent Donald Trump supporters appeared on CNN Thursday morning to defend his “thousands and thousands” comment about Muslims cheering in the streets of Jersey City on Sept. 11, 2001. Most of what they said was unsurprising given previous interviews with Trump supporters, but Susan DeLemus‘ closing comments stood out in …

This is great. As a bonus, the haters will sceam. Stereogum recaps: It’s a bummer to think that soon, Michelle Obama will no longer be our nation’s first lady. I say this because I find her to be exceedingly likable on a personal level, and also because it’s refreshing to see such a stately, important public figure act the fool …

The Greek Parliament, at long last, is due to consider a civil unions bill. And that has a bishop with the Greek Orthodox Church ready to literally spit with rage. Via the Greek Reporter: The Holy Synod decided to adhere to its previous position, namely that the Church of Greece denounces alternative family forms because they are a devaluation of …

Hillary Clinton is leading Bernie Sanders by 20 points in a national poll released today. On the GOP side, many expected Ted Cruz to chip away at Trump’s lead this week, but that doesn’t appear to be happening. Politico reports: More than one-in-three Republican primary voters say they would vote for Donald Trump, according to the results of the latest …

Over the loud complaints of religious leaders, last night the Cincinnati City Council voted to ban ex-gay torture. The move was taken partly in memory of Ohio transgender teen Leelah Alcorn, who committed suicide last year by throwing herself into the path of a truck. Cincinnati.com reports: Almost two dozen pastors and citizens packed Cincinnati Council Chambers on Wednesday in …

The New York state Attorney General’s office has opened an investigation into the finances of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade organization. Last month it was reported that the group’s notoriously anti-gay former chairman, John Dunleavy, had used parade funds to buy “male enhancement” drugs and has made other questionable purchases. The Irish Voice reports: A letter sent last …

Donald Trump has canceled his visit to Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the proposal to ban Muslim immigration. CNN International reports: Trump had planned to meet with Netanyahu December 28 in Israel, according to an Israeli government official, but shortly after the meeting was reported, Netanyahu’s office condemned Trump’s comments about Muslims. “Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects Donald Trump’s …

The neo-Nazis at Stormfront have had to upgrade their server capacity thanks to new fans created by Donald Trump. Politico reports: The Ku Klux Klan is using Donald Trump as a talking point in its outreach efforts. Stormfront, the most prominent American white supremacist website, is upgrading its servers in part to cope with a Trump traffic spike. And former …

As part of Human Rights Day, United Nations delegates will today be shown the below Zachary Quinto-narrated video about the social costs of anti-LGBT discrimination. This is the first such campaign for the UN. Watch below.

The poll was taken among South Carolina GOP primary voters. At this point, nothing should surprise us.

Houston Public Media reports: Experts agreed that HERO lost on Nov. 3 because voters were convinced by the opponents’ message that it would lead to men dressed as women going into women’s bathrooms. The ordinance protected 15 different characteristics from discrimination, including gender identity. A reasonable conclusion then could be that the ordinance would have passed if you only take …

USA! USA! Politico reports: A hyperactive bald eagle named Uncle Sam did not frighten Donald Trump during a photo shoot for Time magazine earlier this year, the Republican presidential candidate said Thursday. “No, not really,” he told the co-hosts of “Fox and Friends” in a telephone interview. With the release of its annual list, Time also posted previously unpublished content …