Joe.My.God. LGBT News

Via press release: On March 31, 2017, Gilbert Baker the creator of the iconic Rainbow Flag sadly passed away. Mr. Baker was both an LGBTQ activist and artist, and was known for helping friends create banners for protests and marches. To honor the memory of Gilbert Baker, NewFest and NYC Pride partnered with Ogilvy & Mather’s design team and created …

NBC News reports: A federal lawsuit brought by a so-called “Dreamer” deported to Mexico has been assigned to District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel — the jurist famously attacked by then-candidate Donald Trump over his “Mexican heritage” in a separate case involving Trump University. Juan Manuel Montes, 23, filed a complaint Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District …

And the intrigue deepens. The Huffington Post reports: KSL Newsradio on Thursday reported that Chaffetz might not even finish out his congressional term. “I will continue to weigh the options, but I might depart early,” Chaffetz said, according to the radio station. In his role as chairman of the oversight committee, Chaffetz continually investigated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s …

Radio Free Europe reports: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman sought to downplay evidence of a campaign of abuse targeting gay men in Chechnya, saying the Kremlin has “heard no confirmation” of reports that have prompted outrage in the West. Speaking to journalists on April 20, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin has no reason to doubt regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s …

The Independent reports: Exxon Mobil has reportedly applied to the US Treasury Department for a waiver from US sanctions on Russia, which – if granted – would mean that it can resume its joint venture with Russian-state owned oil giant PAO Rosneft. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reported that Exxon had been seeking US permission …

Talking Points Memo reports: With the end of President Trump’s first 100 days fast approaching, House Republicans appear ready to take another stab at reviving an Obamacare repeal bill that was pulled from the House floor last month due to lack of support and has since has been the focus of several rounds of unsuccessful negotiations. The latest compromise was …

Politico reports: During his campaign, Donald Trump promised to pay the legal bills of supporters who beat up protestors at his rallies, but a POLITICO analysis found that Trump’s campaign hasn’t always paid its own legal bills in a timely or transparent fashion. The analysis of court and campaign filings found that Trump’s campaign committee is still spending heavily to …

CNN reports: Bill O’Reilly will be paid tens of millions of dollars on his way out of Fox News. “It is a staggering amount,” said a source personally involved in the exit maneuverings. 21st Century Fox and O’Reilly’s representatives will not acknowledge the existence of a payout. A confidentiality agreement limits what the two sides can say. But two well-placed …

The Hill reports: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) visited President Trump at the White House late Wednesday, bringing along musicians Ted Nugent and Kid Rock. Palin has been an outspoken supporter of Trump since his campaign, and was invited to be one of his guests during an October debate last year. On Wednesday night, Palin, Kid Rock and Nugent …

Politico reports: The North Korean government, via a state-run newspaper, warned of a “super-mighty preemptive strike” against the U.S. that would reduce both its military forces in South Korea and the American mainland “to ashes,” according to a Reuters report published Thursday. “In the case of our super-mighty preemptive strike being launched, it will completely and immediately wipe out not …