Tag Archives: Illinois

ILLINOIS: Lame-Duck Session May See Marriage Vote Next Month

Illinois is moving fast towards marriage equality. After counting heads and consulting with legislative leaders, the chief sponsors of a bill to permit same-sex couples to get married in the state this morning disclosed they intend to push for a vote in the General Assembly’s lame-duck session, which will occur over two weeks just after New Year’s. And, in an …

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NEW POLLS: Majorities Support Marriage In Oregon, Illinois, New Jersey

Public Policy Polling reports that majorities in Oregon, New Jersey, and Illinois support the passage of same-sex marriage. Oregon voters are ready to legalize same sex marriage. 77% think they should be able to have a say on the issue, and 54% say they would vote to legalize it with 40% opposed. Independents support it by a 64/33 margin and …

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ILLINOIS: Not-Gay Rep. Aaron Schock Reportedly Mulling Run For Governor

According to a just-released poll, gay-friendly Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is the most unpopular governor in the nation. Quinn assumed office after former Gov. Rod Blagojevitch exploded into scandal and bad hair. Quinn then was “legitimately” elected in 2010. Among those reportedly considering a run to challenge Quinn in 2014 is totally not-gay slice of beefcake GOP Rep. Aaron Schock, …

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ILLINOIS: Court Rejects Hate Group’s Attempt To Join Marriage Case

Today the circuit court of Cook County denied an attempt by the Illinois Family Institute to defend against Lambda Legal’s bid to overturn that state’s ban on same-sex marriage.  Two local churches, the Church of Christian Liberty and the Grace Gospel Fellowship, were also rejected.  Lambda Legal writes via press release: “We are now closer to the day these families …

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Illinois Marriage Vote By January?

Via press release from Lambda Legal: Today plaintiff couples in Darby v. Orr and Lazaro v. Orr, the lawsuits brought by Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Illinois seeking the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Illinois, met with legislators to urge them to vote in favor of a bill ending the ban on marriage for same-sex couples in …

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Supreme Court Strikes Down Illinois Law Against Filming The Police

The Supreme Court yesterday declined to hear the appeal of a lower court’s ruling that overturned an Illinois law against filming the police. The justices on Monday left in place a lower court ruling that found that the state’s anti-eavesdropping law violates free speech rights when used against people who tape law enforcement officers. The law sets out a maximum …

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Quote Of The Day – Rahm Emanuel

“Last week’s election continued America’s great history of expanding opportunity and equality. Today, we must take the next step on that journey by affording the opportunity to marry to all Americans — and we can continue that march by quickly enacting marriage equality here in Illinois. Gays and lesbians are our teachers, our doctors, our police officers, family members, friends …

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ILLINOIS: Feds Fine Man $1.5M For Posting Ten Gay Porn Films Via BitTorrent

A federal court in Illinois has fined a local man $1.5 million for posting ten gay porn films to a popular site for illegally sharing copyrighted materials. The figure is believed to the biggest awarded in a file-sharing case. The award is thought to be so large because the accused, Kywan Fisher, did not defend himself against claims that he …

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Quote Of The Day – Bishop Daniel Jenky

“Since the foundation of the American Republic and the adoption of the Bill of Rights, I do not think there has ever been a time more threatening to our religious liberty than the present. Nearly two thousand years ago, after our Savior had been bound, beaten, scourged, mocked, and crowned with thorns, a pagan Roman Procurator displayed Jesus to a …

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ILLINOIS: HRC-Endorsed House Candidate “Isn’t There Yet” On Marriage

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Chicago’s Teachers End Strike

The Chicago Teachers Union voted yesterday to end their week-old strike. Karen Lewis, the union president, described the voice vote as 98 percent to 2 percent in favor and a sign that the deal was seen as good, though hardly perfect. “We said that it was time — that we couldn’t solve all the problems of the world with one …

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Chicago To Get “Walking” LGBT Museum

Looks wonderful. Details.

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ILLINOIS: Straight House Candidate Denounces Opponent On LGBT Rights

Straight Illinois businessman Brad Schneider is hanging his U.S. House candidacy on the anti-gay positions of his GOP opponent, Rep. Bob Dold. Via press release: Congressman Dold and the Congressional Tea Party’s ideological agenda is out of touch with Illinois voters, and the rest of the country, which supports ENDA by a four-to-one margin (79%). “Congressman Dold and the TeaParty …

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ILLINOIS: Wife Of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Discusses His Depression Hospitalization

After speculations about a suicide attempt and Republican demands that he explain his long absence from Congress, yesterday the wife of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) lifted her family’s “news blackout” on his condition. Jackson’s whereabouts had been undisclosed for almost two months and only last week was it revealed that he is at Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic. In an exclusive …

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Chick-Fil-A Freedom Day In Chicago

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ILLINOIS: Hate Group Petitions To Defend Cook County Marriage Equality Suits

The Illinois Family Association, former home of Peter LaBarbera, has petitioned the Cook County Circuit Court in a bid to be added as a defender against two marriage equality suits filed earlier this year by the ACLU and Lambda Legal. The Thomas More Society, which has already been granted standing to defend against both suits, issued this press release today: …

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Donate To GOP, Get Free Chick-Fil-A

The Illinois Republican Party is cashing in: If the recent insults by Barack Obama against business owners and a 67% Illinois tax hike by Mike Madigan weren’t enough, Obama’s fellow Madigan-backed Chicago Democratic politicians have stooped to a new low in trying to silence a business owner, Chick-fil-A, by trying to block their business license simply for expressing a political …

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Transmen Marry In Illinois

JMG reader Birdie sends us the above photo and an explanation: “John (right) is acknowledged by his birth state of Illinois to be male and has changed his Illinois state ID and Social Security card to match. James’ California driver’s license has ‘female’ as his legal sex. (He does not want to change his legal sex unless they offer T …

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ILLINOIS: Chicago’s Professional Soccer Team Aligns With LGBT Rights Group

The Chicago Fire has teamed up with Equality Illinois is what is being described as the midwest’s first “formal partnership” between a pro sports team and an LGBT rights group. Other Chicago sports teams, including the Cubs and White Sox, have held promotional nights and donated items for silent auction fundraisers in the past, but none have officially partnered with …

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ILLINOIS: Downstate County Clerks Win Right To Intervene In Marriage Cases

Two downstate Illinois county clerks have won the right to defend Cook County in the two marriage equality cases brought by Lambda Legal and the ACLU, both of whom did not object to the clerks having standing to intervene. The Cook County state’s attorney, the Illinois Attorney General, and Gov. Pat Quinn all said that they would not defend against …

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