First, a related report from GLAAD: GLAAD found 166 incidents of anti-LGBTQ protests and threats targeting drag events since early 2022, with a sharp uptick beginning in Pride season 2022 and continuing through the midterm election cycle. False rhetoric was deployed against performers in campaign ads for the 2022 midterm elections, and rhetoric escalated to violence including the firebombing of …

The Bakersfield Californian reports: A 68-year-old Maricopa pastor has been charged with committing lewd and lascivious acts upon a child after a girl alleged the religious leader kissed and touched her inappropriately. The girl — who said she was either 12 or 13 at the time — said Maricopa Community Church pastor Stephen McCurtis was giving her a driving lesson …

The Washington Post reports: A man using an AR-15-style weapon shot and killed five people Friday, including an 8-year-old — an angry response to the neighbors’ request that he stop shooting in his yard while their baby was trying to sleep, Texas authorities said Saturday. The suspect was the victims’ neighbor and went to their home Friday night after they …

Deadline reports: The federal judge presiding over Disney’s lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has recused himself, citing a conflict of interest. The lawsuit, filed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. on Wednesday, accuses DeSantis of a “targeted campaign of government retaliation.” That would violate the company’s First Amendment rights, the suit contends. Friday’s order by U.S. Magistrate …

Rolling Stone reports: Top on-air presenters are openly worrying about getting fired. Management is on the prowl for leakers. And the leakers themselves are dodging “snitches” by putting fake names in their phone to hide incoming calls from reporters. Fox News’ first week of life after Tucker Carlson got fired was a strange one indeed. Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro, …

“I think one of the reasons why Joe Biden is tough to beat is because he’s tough to hate. I mean, you almost feel sorry for him. He’s a candidate of sympathy. Kamala Harris is different. It is very easy to build a movement against someone who is just so arrogant and smug and cackle-y, and self-righteous, and has failed …

Today marks the nineteenth blogiversary of this here website thingy. Counting this one, we’re at 138,342 posts over 19 years, the last 15 of which have been without a full day off, although posting on weekends is usually at a slower rate. As I’ve said on this day every year, whether I am insanely committed or am insane and should …

Politico Europe reports: He hopes to win the hearts and minds of devoted Donald Trump supporters ahead of next year’s U.S. election. But Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis failed to impress British business chiefs at a high-profile London event Friday, in a tired performance described variously as “horrendous,” “low-wattage” and “like the end of an overseas trip.” One U.K. business …

NBC News reports: A California man who used stolen police pepper spray against officers battling a mob during the Jan. 6 attack was sentenced to more than four years in prison Friday, prosecutors said. Jeffrey Scott Brown, 56, was sentenced to 54 months in prison, or 4½ years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement. Brown, of Santa Ana, …

The Texas Tribune reports: The Texas House gave final approval to legislation that is calling for significant investments to beef up schools’ safety, including hiring at least one armed security officer at every campus, providing incentives for school employees to get certified to carry a weapon and installing silent panic alert buttons in every classroom. House Bill 3, authored by …

Congress Minutes reports: The Club for Growth, an influential GOP group, is going on air with a minute-long TV ad slamming West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice as “a deadbeat billionaire” who is “delinquent on his financial and moral obligations” and an “embarrassment to West Virginia”. The ad alleges that Justice cut off promised health coverage for retired coal miners and …

Mediaite reports: On Friday, Trump’s campaign sent an email to the media with the subject line “ICYMI: ‘Trump Rape Accuser Admitted to Sexually Harassing Roger Ailes—Told Him He Was Her ‘Future Husband” and said simply “Read the full article by Jim Hoft with the Gateway Pundit here.” The site is a well-known promoter of far-right conspiracy theories, one of which …

The Washington Post reports: About six months ago, Will Wilkerson was the executive vice president of operations for former president Donald Trump’s media business, a co-founder of Trump’s Truth Social website and a holder of stock options that might have one day made him a millionaire. Today, he is a certified barista trainer at a Starbucks inside a Harris Teeter …

Florida Politics reports: Never Back Down is rolling out a new ad in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, four early Primary states where the Governor has slumped in polls in recent weeks. The 60-second spot is replete with soaring oratory from the Governor itself, juxtaposed with shots of people consuming his speech — on cellphones, in living rooms …

The Huffington Post reports: A Republican lawmaker in Minnesota argued that “two ounces” of marijuana was the equivalent of “three joints” during remarks as the Minnesota Senate voted Friday on whether to legalize recreational use of cannabis. State Sen. Warren Limmer criticized a number of portions of the bills. “Now I’ve seen some of the videos of DEA raids, some …

“The establishment will do whatever it takes to keep Biden in the White House. You know that. He’s very useful to them. You see, his boring presidency is actually an opportunity. While we focus on Joe’s naps, Democrats solidify even more control across the sprawling federal bureaucracy. “The deep state gets deeper every day. They work quietly while Joe does …

Pitchfork reports: Disco icon Donna Summer is the focus of a new documentary coming to HBO next month. Love to Love You, Donna Summer, co-directed by filmmaker Roger Ross Williams and Summer’s daughter Brooklyn Sudano, follows the highs and lows of the “I Feel Love” superstar’s life through performance footage, photos, and never-before-seen home movies, plus interviews with Summer’s family. …

The Associated Press reports: Montana became the latest state to ban or restrict gender-affirming medical care for transgender kids Friday when its Republican governor signed legislation that exiled transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr told fellow lawmakers would leave “blood” on their hands. Montana is one of at least 15 states with laws to ban such care despite protests from the families …

Politico reports: The North Carolina Supreme Court has overturned its own past ruling that said partisan gerrymandering is illegal, clearing the way for Republicans there to redraw the state’s congressional lines in a way that heavily favors the GOP. The ruling clears the way for North Carolina legislators to aggressively gerrymander the congressional map, which is currently represented by seven …

The Daily Beast reports: Rudy Giuliani’s consulting firm hasn’t paid its phone bill, and the carrier is dragging the disgraced former New York City mayor’s company to court over the outstanding charges. That’s according to a summons filed in New York state court by Momentum Telecom, a company that sells internet-based calling technology. The Atlanta-based company says it was stiffed …