Monthly Archives: May 2023

Russia Issues Arrest Warrant For Sen. Lindsey Graham

The Hill reports: Russia’s Interior Ministry has issued an arrest warrant for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) after he praised U.S. military aid to Ukraine as “the best money we’ve ever spent.” Russian officials reacted to a video of Graham’s meeting Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in which Graham acknowledged “Russians are dying” and then said in another moment that …

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Trump Flips On Disney: DeSantis Let Them Go “Woke”

Mediaite reports: In the past, Trump has slammed DeSantis for letting Disney outmaneuver him in his ongoing battle to punish the company for opposing culture war legislation in the state, which critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. In mid-May, Trump’s camp blasted the Florida governor for losing jobs in his state as Disney, the state’s largest employer, pulled …

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TX Gov Gets Bill Criminalizing Drag In View Of Children

The Texas Tribune reports: The Texas Legislature gave final approval Sunday to a bill that will criminalize performers that put on sexually explicit shows in front of children as well as any businesses that host them. Originally designed as legislation to restrict minors from attending certain drag shows, lawmakers agreed on bill language that removed direct reference to drag performers …

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TX Gov Gets Bill To Overturn Elections In Blue County

CNN reports: Texas Republicans have approved a pair of bills targeting the elections process in Harris County, the state’s largest and home to Houston, with voting rights activists accusing the GOP of plotting a “power grab” in an increasingly Democratic county. The measures, which passed the Republican-controlled state House and Senate, now head to the desk of GOP Gov. Greg …

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Ugandan President Signs “Death To Gays” Bill [VIDEO]

Bloomberg News reports: Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni signed into law legislation with harsher penalties for LGBTQ people, including death and life-imprisonment sentences. The president “has assented” to the bill, which now becomes law, his office announced in a post on its Twitter account. Parliament had approved an earlier version of the bill in March, but Museveni returned it to lawmakers …

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CHATTER AWAY: Overnight Open Thread

Variety reports: “The Little Mermaid” makeup designer Peter Smith King has responded to criticisms of the revamped Ursula look that Melissa McCarthy brings to life in the new live-action remake, specifically contending against a belief that a queer artist should have landed the job. Rob Minkoff, the character animator of the original 1989 film, pulled reference from the late drag …

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NYC Subway Vigilante To Face Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The New York Post reports: The family of the homeless man put in a fatal chokehold on the F train by straphanger Daniel Penny plans to file a wrongful-death lawsuit against the former Marine, The Post has learned. The May 1 death of Jordan Neely was caught on video and has sparked a firestorm. Penny — who last week told …

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Schumer: GOP Will Drag Out And Delay Debt Vote

The Hill reports: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is warning Senate Democratic colleagues to prepare to stay in session right up until the June 5 deadline to pass a debt-limit deal because conservatives are threatening to drag out the debate and votes for as long as possible. Schumer also announced that President Biden’s negotiating team will brief Senate Democrats …

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LA Dodgers To Hold “Christian Faith And Family Day”

Deadline reports: The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced what’s termed a “relaunch” of the team’s “Christian Faith and Family Day” event. News of the resurrected faith event comes shortly after the team enmeshed itself in a controversy over its Pride Night celebration. The team invited – then disinvited – then reinvited the controversial Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence group to take …

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Turkey’s Erdogan Claims Victory In Presidential Runoff

Reuters reports: President Tayyip Erdogan claimed victory in Turkey’s presidential election on Sunday, a win that would steer his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade. Addressing supporters, Erdogan said voters had given him the responsibility to rule for the next five years. The election had been seen as one of the most consequential yet for Turkey, with the opposition …

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Florida Oath Keeper Rioter Sentenced To Four Years

From the Justice Department: Kenneth Harrelson was sentenced Friday on felony charges for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election. Harrelson, 42, of Titusville, Florida, was sentenced …

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George Santos Gets Trolled On “Jeopardy” [VIDEO]

Decider reports: Ken Jennings wasted no time when it came to roasting Rep. George Santos — the controversial New York politician who was recently indicted on fraud charges — during Wednesday night’s (May 24) episode of Jeopardy! Contestant Mattea Roach chose the “Recent Events” category for $800. “Subheads in a piece on this NY Rep.: ‘Lied about where he went …

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DOJ Moves To Confiscate Donations Made To Rioters

The Associated Press reports: Less than two months after he pleaded guilty to storming the U.S. Capitol, Texas resident Daniel Goodwyn appeared on Tucker Carlson’s then-Fox News show and promoted a website where supporters could donate money to Goodwyn and other rioters whom the site called “political prisoners.” The Justice Department now wants Goodwyn to give up more than $25,000 …

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Lindsey Graham Blasts Debt Ceiling Deal: I Will Vote No

“I want to raise the debt ceiling; it’d be irresponsible not to do it. And I know you can’t get the perfect, but what I will not do is adopt the Biden defense budget and call it a success. “Kevin said that the defense is fully funded. If we adopt the Biden defense budget, it increases defense spending below inflation. …

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Freedom Caucus Vows To Block McCarthy’s Debt Deal

Reuters reports: After tough negotiations to reach a tentative deal with the White House on the U.S. borrowing limit, the next challenge for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is pushing it through the House, where hardline Republicans are already threatening to sink it. As Democratic and Republican negotiators iron out the final details of an agreement to suspend the federal government’s …

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Kirk’s Outfit Partners With Registered Sex Offender

Rolling Stone reports: Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk is cheerleading the far-right boycott of Target over the retailer’s Pride collection — which included trans-friendly youth apparel and other LGBTQ-positive gear — for what Kirk decries as “their support for grooming kids.” Kirk’s condemnation of the retailer coincided with TPUSA’s second-annual Pastors Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, this past week, where …

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Will Paxton’s Wife Recuse From His Impeachment Trial?

The Texas Tribune reports: As Ken Paxton’s scandals have mounted, Angela Paxton has stood by his side, and over two terms in the Senate seat he once held, she has done little to disentangle her political legacy from her husband’s. He funded her first run with a $2 million loan from his campaign; once elected, she tried to pass legislation …

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Irish Extremist Sued For Publishing Photo Of Teenage Suicide Victim, Claiming He Was Killed By COVID Vax

The Irish Times reports: A woman whose son died by suicide is suing former journalist Gemma O’Doherty over the use of his photograph and linking his death to the Covid-19 vaccine. Diego Gilsenan, of Kingscourt, Co Cavan, was 18-years-old when he died in August 2021. His mother, Edel Campbell, has now initiated High Court proceedings against Ms O’Doherty as publisher …

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UK Commission Advises PM To Apologize After Report Details Decades Of Electroshock Torture Of Gay Troops

Bloomberg News reports: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should apologize for the UK’s treatment of gay and trans veterans, according to a government-commissioned review that details a “culture of homophobia” that pervaded the British military for decades. The study — slated for publication in the first half of June and seen by Bloomberg — details accounts of electric-shock conversion therapy, intrusive …

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Iowa Gov Signs “Don’t Say Gay” And Book Banning Bills

The Des Moines Register reports: Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a sweeping education law that orders the removal from schools of books that contain sex acts and restricts teaching about LGBTQ topics. Iowa Republican lawmakers combined several of their top priorities for education into the wide-ranging Senate File 496, which Reynolds signed in a private event on Friday. The law …

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