From the Hollywood Reporter: The Human Rights Campaign announced Thursday that Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California, who has entered the 2020 presidential race, will attend the upcoming 2019 HRC Los Angeles dinner and speak on issues of equality. Harris will join Sen. Cory Booker, who is also scheduled to speak. The evening program will honor Christina Aguilera with the …

USA Today reports: President Donald Trump said he would jettison a proposal to slash funding for the Special Olympics, undercutting Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. “The Special Olympics will be funded. I just told my people I want to fund the Special Olympics,” Trump said he left the White House en route to a political rally in Grand Rapids, Mich. “I …

From his new interview with Vox: “The reality is that when people are economically or socially dislocated, they are always more vulnerable to being radicalized. And I think a lot of Americans are being radicalized by this administration. The experience of disruption that’s gone on, especially in the interior, has obviously made it more fertile to being taken advantage of …

Anchorage’s NBC News affiliate reports: In April of 2018, Alaskan father and son Andrew Renner, 41, and Owen Renner, 18, both of Wasilla, illegally killed a black bear sow and her two cubs on Esther Island in Prince William Sound. Video of that incident has now been made public, nearly a year later. The sow and cubs that the Renners …

“The word ‘gay’ used to mean happy, carefree, joyful and now it means homosexual. Of course, this is what Satan does. Satan perverts the language in order to advance his lies, because if you know what the Bible teaches about homosexuality, there ain’t no way a homosexual is gay. They are the servants of Satan and so they see Christians …

MSNBC reports: The Trump administration has chosen counter terrorism expert and Fox News contributor Morgan Ortagus to be the new State Department spokeswoman, three people with knowledge of the decision told NBC News. Ortagus, a U.S. Naval Reserve officer, would bring significant experience in national security and foreign policy to the role. She will replace Heather Nauert, a former Fox …

The Daily Beast reports: The letter came in early March and the message was dire. The National Rifle Association could shut down “very soon,” according the four-page fundraising letter, signed by the group’s executive vice president Wayne LaPierre. He blamed the dire straits on steps Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has taken to pressure banks and insurance companies that …

NBC News reports: Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., a co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, on Thursday introduced a bill that would ban the use of Medicaid funding for conversion therapy by cracking down on “misleading billing tactics.” Maloney, who is gay, introduced the Prohibition of Medicaid Funding for Conversion Therapy Act with 63 co-sponsors. According to a press …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: With Disney’s theme parks becoming more crowded, the company announced it is banning smoking and vaping inside the gates and oversized strollers, moves meant to free up space and make visitors have a better time. The sweeping changes were announced Thursday. One change took effect immediately — prohibiting dry or loose ice, typically brought in coolers …

The Daily Progress reports: A Virginia teenager has pleaded guilty to posting a racist threat online that shut down Charlottesville City Schools for two days last week. News outlets report the 17-year-old boy was convicted Wednesday and is set to be sentenced April 24. Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Samantha Markley says the teen told authorities he was bored and joking when …

Talking Points Memo reports: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) blocked a resolution calling for special counsel Robert Mueller’s report be made public, arguing that Congress should also call for communications and testimony from Obama-era officials. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who is one of several Democratic senators running for president, tried to get unanimous consent for the Senate to pass the resolution, …

CBS News reports: New York state prosecutors on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma and the family that owns the OxyContin-maker, alleging they fraudulently transferred funds out of the company. The complaint also adds charges previously filed against other companies that made and distributed opioids. “We found that pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors engaged in years of deceptive marketing about …

Kyle Mantyla reports at Right Wing Watch: A few weeks ago, Mark Taylor, the so-called “firefighter prophet,” claimed that God had told him that President Trump is not going to be the only member of the Trump family elected to the White House. At the time, Taylor didn’t know who the next Trump president would be, but since then, he …

Newsweek reports: Top Democratic presidential candidates have slammed the National Rifle Association over its reported bid to block a measure seeking to renew and expand the Violence Against Women Act. The gun lobby announced plans to lower grades for politicians who vote in favor of the legislation, which includes a measure to keep firearms out of the hands of abusers, …

Just in from hate group leader Tony Perkins: For everyone who’s wondered if the battle for the under-30 crowd is lost, here’s hope. In this post-Obergefell world, not every young person is signing up to march in their local pride parade. The first generation to come of age in a same-sex marriage society is finally feeling the effects. And soon, …

AlterNet reports: The Pentagon agreed to buy nearly $900,000 in jet fuel from the conservative university owned by Jerry Falwell Jr., just months after President Donald Trump took office. The Department of Defense signed the contract with Freedom Aviation, which is wholly owned by Liberty University, on May 9, 2017, and had since purchased more than $400,000 in turbine fuel …

Mediaite reports: Is Donald Trump Jr. laying the groundwork for a run for office? Appearing on Bloomberg radio, the son of President Donald Trump definitely left the possibility open, when asked by host Kevin Cirilli whether he’s considering it. “I never want to rule it out,” Trump Jr. said. “I definitely enjoy the fight. I definitely like being out there …

Politico reports: The House Intelligence Committee devolved into bitter infighting Thursday, as all nine Republicans demanded Chairman Adam Schiff resign his post and the California Democrat responded with a blistering account of “evidence of collusion” between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia. “We have no faith in your ability to discharge your duties,” said Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas), who led …

The Washington Blade reports: The U.S. House voted Tuesday morning to rebuke President Trump’s transgender military ban by approving a non-binding resolution with bipartisan support. The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Joseph Kennedy III (D-Mass.), was approved by a vote of 238-185 after an hour of debate on the House floor in which lawmakers denounced the Trump administration’s policy …

Bloomberg reports: The still-secret report on Russian interference in the 2016 election submitted by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, last week was more than 300 pages long, according to American officials with knowledge of it, a length that raises new questions about Attorney General William P. Barr’s four-page summary. The total of 300-plus pages suggests that Mr. Mueller …