Tag Archives: State Department

As I’ve reported here several times, openly gay US Ambassador Wally Brewster is under attack in the Dominican Republic, where anti-LGBT activists and the Catholic Church have launched a joint campaign calling for his resignation for spreading “homosexual indoctrination.” Today US House Democrats launched a tweetstorm in support of Brewster using the hashtag #ImWithWally. Brewster stands accused in part because …

From the petition: We request the Obama administration to remove the U.S. ambassador in the Dominican Republic, James W. Brewster for primarily promoting in his official duties an LGBT agenda inconsistent with the Christian cultural values and tradition of the Dominican Republic. Since his arrival in November 2013, he has supported the inauguration of an LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Amb. …

Well, well, well. ABC News reports: The State Department is now saying that Hillary Clinton wasn’t the only former Secretary of State or their staff to handle classified information on a private email account, a Congressman told ABC News. Colin Powell and the immediate staff of Condoleezza Rice, both of whom served under President George W. Bush, also had information …

The Associated Press reports: The Obama administration confirmed for the first time Friday that Hillary Clinton’s unsecured home server contained closely guarded government secrets, censoring 22 emails with material requiring one of the highest levels of classification. The revelation comes just three days before the Iowa presidential nominating caucuses in which Clinton is a candidate. Department officials also said the …

Dominican Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez, whose archdiocese has been wracked by a pedophilia scandal, yesterday called married gay US Ambassador Wally Brewster a “wife” and said he should focus on housework. The Associated Press reports: A Dominican cardinal upset over comments that the U.S. ambassador made about corruption in his country has said the openly gay diplomat should …

Via press release from the State Department: Current information suggests that ISIL (aka Da’esh), al-Qa’ida, Boko Haram, and other terrorist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics, using conventional and non-conventional weapons and targeting both official and private interests. This Travel Alert expires on February 24, 2016. Authorities believe …

The wingnuts at Judicial Watch today lost a battle to force the federal government to release hundreds of Hillary Clinton’s emails related to Benghazi. The Hill reports: Judge Amit Mehta said that it would be “unwise and potentially risky” to order the government to quickly release some of the 329 emails specifically related to the 2012 terror attack in Benghazi, …

Now that marriage equality is the law of the nation, the State Department has announced that it will phase out domestic partners benefits. Via the Washington Blade: Diplomatic and consular posts on Oct. 14 notified Foreign Service personnel that the State Department will begin to phase out the Same-Sex Domestic Partner program on Dec. 14. The SSDP will officially end …

Freedom To Marry may have already held its “going out of business” party, but founder Evan Wolfson still has marriage battles to fight. Via the Guardian: US embassies in Europe have invited an instrumental figure in the movement to legalize same-sex marriage to visit three countries where it is not yet legal. Evan Wolfson, founder of marriage equality campaign group …

CNN reports: In a major victory for President Barack Obama, Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland announced support for the Iran nuclear deal Wednesday, providing the White House the votes it needs to prevent Republicans from scuttling the agreement. The announcement means that at least 34 senators — the number required by the Constitution to sustain a veto — will …

A couple of years ago a veritable who’s-who of American haters screamed their heads off when the US Embassy sponsored Prague Pride.  But this weekend the United States even had a FLOAT as the parade drew a record 35,000 participants. The Prague Post reports: Prague Mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO) joined the march, the first time for a Prague mayor. It …

Live US-Cuban history happening right now. The BBC reports: Three marines who lowered the American flag for the last time on 4 January 1961 will raise it again during Friday’s ceremony in Havana. They are now retired and in their late 70s. “I’m gonna love seeing that flag go back up,” said former marine Jim Tracy, 78, in a US …

Openly gay Cuban-American poet Richard Blanco writes today on Facebook: “I’ve had to keep this a secret for months, but it’s finally out: the US Department of State has asked me to write a poem for the re-opening of the US Embassy in Cuba, which I will read at the ceremony on August 14th in Havana! So incredibly emotional for …

NBC News reports: The FBI is looking into the security of the private email server that Hillary Rodham Clinton used when she was secretary of state. The Washington Post also reported Tuesday that the FBI has asked Clinton lawyer David Kendall about the security of a thumb drive, containing copies of Clinton’s emails, that Kendall possesses. The Post report cited …

According to the US State Department. More difficult languages are here.

Via Yahoo News: U.S. President Barack Obama affirmed to Cuban President Raul Castro their decision to restore diplomatic relations and said the former Cold War enemies could reopen embassies in each other’s capitals beginning July 20, the Caribbean country said on Wednesday. Cuba’s foreign ministry cited a letter, which Obama addressed to Castro, that it received from the senior U.S. …

Tel Aviv Pride was yesterday and in the clip below US Ambassador Daniel Shapiro happily points out the gigantic rainbow flag adorning the US embassy.

That’s US Ambassador John Koenig in the blue t-shirt. More from Gay Star News: Several hundred people marched in the east Mediterranean island nation’s 2nd annual Gay Pride parade in downtown Nicosia on Saturday. Unlike last year where scuffles broke out a small group of Orthodox Christian protesters tried to disrupt the parade, the parade went on without a hitch …

Via White House press release: Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons Randy Berry will travel to Chile from June 1 – 2, Argentina from June 3 – 4, Uruguay from June 4 – 5, Brazil from June 6 – 9, and the Dominican Republic from June 10 – 11 to discuss the human rights of LGBTI persons …

“We know that President Obama is infinitely more sensitive to the concerns of Muslims than Christians. He cites Christians by name when he wants to blame them for some historical event, but he never mentions Muslims by name for their current slaughter of innocent Christians. His Secretary of State, John Kerry, is at one with him. “Seven months ago, the …