Monthly Archives: June 2019

CHATTER AWAY: Overnight Open Thread

Another clip from Broadway Bares: At Broadway Bares 2019, a brief delay on the tarmac in the heat of the day caused the airport’s rugged, all-male ground crew to sweat through their shift – and their clothes. Adam Perry (Frozen) led a team of buff baggage handlers, choreographed by Andrew Turteltaub. Performers: Adam Perry with Dave August, Matthew Borchers, Juanfer …

Read More »

Amash Challenges Trump On Military Strike Authority

Fox News reports: Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., joined Democrats on Friday in calling on President Trump to seek Congressional approval for military action against Iran. His comments came after the president called off a military strike against Iran — an offense operation that Amash indicated should have undergone congressional review. “Glad the president pulled back from striking Iran but still …

Read More »

Bank Of England Backs Facebook Cryptocurrency

The BBC reports: Bank of England Governor Mark Carney gave Facebook’s proposed digital currency Libra a cautious welcome in a major speech on Thursday. He said it could substantially lower costs and increase financial inclusion, but needs regulation. Mr Carney also announced that non-banks will be able to hold Bank of England accounts. And he highlighted climate and sustainability concerns. …

Read More »

Bernie And Warren Go Viral With Miami Flight Photo

Mediaite reports: A photo of Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) ending up in coach on a flight together is going viral on Twitter. Both of the 2020 election opponents have window seats, with Warren seated behind Sanders in the flight. Twitter politicos were quick to pounce both on the seating arraignment and the senators’ seatmate looking directly …

Read More »

Trump Denies Ever Meeting Latest Assault Accuser

CNBC reports: President Donald Trump on Friday denied allegations by writer E. Jean Carroll that he sexually assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-1990s. The alleged assault was described in detail in an excerpt of Carroll’s new book, which was published by New York Magazine on Friday. “I’ve never met this person in my …

Read More »

Unsealed Court Docs Reveal Hannity/Manafort Texts

Axios reports: Court documents previously filed under seal with the government’s sentencing recommendations for Paul Manafort were made public on Friday. The documents include a months-long text exchange between Manafort and a “Sean” who appears to be Fox News host Sean Hannity. In one March 2018 exchange, Manafort appears to offer a source to Hannity regarding a Russian-Ukrainian associate of …

Read More »

Trump Tweets Video On Remaining President “4EVA”

Talking Point Memo reports: President Trump on Friday shared an edited video depicting him campaigning for office indefinitely in a play on a Time magazine cover published last October. The actual cover — from the Oct. 22, 2018, issue — was titled “How Trumpism Outlasts Trump” and features campaign yard signs for Trump for every four years from 2024-2044. The …

Read More »

Trump Campaign Manager Predicts 2020 Landslide

CBS News reports: President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign manager predicted in an interview with CBS News that the president would win multiple swing states, including at least three he lost in 2016, if the presidential election were held this week. Brad Parscale, Trump’s campaign chief, said the president would win Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, New Hampshire, New …

Read More »

Alabama Megachurch Granted Own Private Police Force

The Christian Post reports: After several years of seeking to establish a private police force to adequately protect its church and school campuses, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey [photo] has signed legislation allowing the Briarwood Presbyterian Church to do just that despite objections from critics. The ACLU of Alabama argues that the move by Briarwood to establish its own police force …

Read More »

Whip List: 74 House Reps Currently Back Impeachment

Axios reports: 73 House Democrats and one House Republican now publicly support launching an impeachment inquiry against President Trump, according to an Axios analysis. The whip count surged in the aftermath of Robert Mueller’s statement last week, and again after Trump told ABC News that he would consider accepting intelligence on opponents from foreign nationals. But even still, pro-impeachment Democrats …

Read More »

NORTH CAROLINA: Founder Of “Biblical Flat Earth Society” Charged With 56 Felony Counts Of Child Porn

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: A Durham man has been charged with 56 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after a joint investigation by the Durham County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Phillip Stephen Stallings, 40, was arrested Wednesday on 28 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and 28 counts of third-degree sexual …

Read More »

Columnist Accuses Trump Of 1995 Sexual Assault

From E. Jean Carroll’s piece for New York Magazine: The moment the dressing-room door is closed, he lunges at me, pushes me against the wall, hitting my head quite badly, and puts his mouth against my lips. I am so shocked I shove him back and start laughing again. He seizes both my arms and pushes me up against the …

Read More »

Death-To-Gays Pastor: God Will Cut Down Taylor Swift

“Taylor Swift, most popular female singer in America today, released a song promoting the Leviticus 16 list of abominations, pretty much. ‘You Need to Calm Down’ is the name of the song, and she’s apparently telling God to calm down about all of his ethical concerns. I don’t think it’s going to be effective, but that’s what she’s doing. So …

Read More »

Multi-Millionaire Rugby Star Sacked For Anti-Gay Posts Launches $3M GoFundMe Money Beg For Legal Costs

CNN International reports: Israel Folau, who was sacked by Rugby Australia following a homophobic social media post, is crowdfunding A$3 million (US$2.1 million) to pursue a legal battle against the governing body. Folau, a devout Christian who has been capped 73 times by his country, was found guilty of a code of conduct breach and stripped of his contract last …

Read More »

BRITAIN: Tory Minister Suspended For Roughing Up Female Climate Activist, Theresa May “Very Concerned”

The BBC reports: Mark Field has been suspended as a Foreign Office minister after grabbing a female Greenpeace activist at a black-tie City dinner. The MP has apologised for confronting Janet Barker and marching her away as protesters interrupted a speech by Chancellor Philip Hammond. But he said he had been “genuinely worried” she may have been armed. Ms Barker …

Read More »

What If Trump Really Won’t Accept Losing In 2020?

Politico reports: In 2016, Donald Trump waffled over whether he would accept the election results if he lost. Since then, Trump has repeatedly joked about staying in office beyond the two terms the Constitution allows. Jerry Falwell Jr., Trump’s most prominent evangelical supporter, has suggested Trump should get two years tacked on to his first term as “pay back” for …

Read More »

American Psychoanalytic Association Apologizes For Having Once Labeled Homosexuality As Mental Illness

The Hill reports: The American Psychoanalytic Association apologized on Friday for previously labeling homosexuality a mental illness. “It is long past time to recognize and apologize for our role in the discrimination and trauma caused by our profession,” Lee Jaffe, the group’s president, said in a statement. “We all know that hearing the words ‘we are sorry’ is important to …

Read More »

Hate Group Leader Claims Police Raided Stonewall Inn To Rescue Transgender Teenager From Sexual Abuse

Peter Montgomery reports at Right Wing Watch: The police officers who raided the Stonewall Inn in June 1969 were “trying to rescue a young boy who identified as transgender,” claimed Diane Gramley, the head of the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Family Association, on a recent broadcast of the “Stand in the Gap” radio show produced by the American Pastors …

Read More »

Former Trump Spox Calls Rep. Jerry Nadler A “Fat Fuck”

Mediaite reports: Former Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller erupted into an expletive-filled tirade against Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) on Thursday night. “He’s a fucking scumbag anyone obsessed with attacking innocent Hope Hicks should take a long walk off a short pier,” Miller tweeted of Nadler. “That’s fine. We’ll call Mr. Nadler ‘Mr. MuffinTop,’” Miller added in another tweet an hour …

Read More »

MISSOURI: FBI Arrests Man For Emailed Threat To “Kill Every Gay Person I Can” At St. Louis Pride Fest [VIDEO]

USA Today reports: A suburban St. Louis man accused of telling organizers of the city’s Pride parade that he would shoot and kill as many gays as possible at the LGBTQ celebration before turning the gun on himself has been charged with making a terrorist threat, according to court documents. Edward Terry, 49, of Overland, was charged Tuesday. Court documents …

Read More »