Federal Court Refuses to Toss Criminal Indictments Against Former Rep. Aaron Schock

A federal appeals court dealt former Rep. Aaron Schock a major legal blow on Wednesday, refusing to throw out his criminal indictment on 22 corruption charges including filing false tax returns, mail fraud, wire fraud, submitting false reports to the FEC, false statements, and theft of government funds.

Politico reports: “Schock’s arguments for appealing the indictment centered on two main points. First, under the Speech or Debate Clause, a constitutional protection given to lawmakers and staff for legitimate legislative activities, he can’t be charged with falsifying reimbursement claims. Secondly, in a more technical argument, Schock’s lawyers asserted that since reimbursement regulations were created by House rule, it would be a violation of separation-of-powers principles for the executive branch, via the Justice Department, to charge him with a crime. Under Schock’s approach, only the House could interpret whether he violated House rules.”

Schock has been trying to get the charges, which originally numbered 24, thrown out for years. His last unsuccessful attempt was last fall.

In August 2017, Schock’s lawyers asked for the case to be dismissed because, according to the attorneys, witnesses were asked “distasteful, offensive,” and “prejudicial” questions about every part of Schock’s sex life including whether he is gay and if his girlfriend was a beard. The lawyers accused investigators of “prosecutorial misconduct on a variety of grounds” over the invasive questions and asked for the case to be dismissed.

Schock’s troubles began when photos of his Downton Abbey-inspired congressional office leaked and it was then discovered that he illegally accepted a designer’s services for free. 

In March of 2015, the FBI began an investigation into Schock’s spending habits, an investigation that ultimately revealed “untoward allegations” about Schock that would damage his reputation, according to his lawyers. Schock faces a 24-count indictment for filing false tax returns and covering up fraud schemes, and using government and campaign funds improperly.

The disgraced anti-gay Illinois lawmaker resigned from his seat in 2015 after questions arose about his alleged misuse of funds.

Schock can appeal Wednesday’s ruling to the full 7th Circuit Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court.

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Federal Court Refuses to Toss Criminal Indictments Against Former Rep. Aaron Schock

Genderqueer Student Brilliantly Trolls Betsy DeVos with Transgender Pride Cape: WATCH

Eighth grade genderqueer student Torin Hodgman trolled anti-LGBTQ Education Secretary Betsy DeVos during a visit she made to Grand Rapids Public Museum School on Wednesday by wearing a Transgender Pride cape they had made at home.

Michigan Live reports:

Hodgman – who identifies as “gender queer” and whose preferred pronoun is “they/them” – came prepared with a question: What is DeVos doing to ensure schools are safe learning environments for LGBT students and others who are questioning their gender identity?

Hodgman, 14, didn’t get a chance to pose that question to DeVos during a roundtable discussion Tuesday morning.

But Hodgman is hopeful she recognized the flag – and what it stood for – and that she realizes that transgender students are a real presence in America’s schools.

“Public schools are a place for all children,” Hodgman said.

DeVos definitely got a look at the Cape, as you can see in the video above.

The post Genderqueer Student Brilliantly Trolls Betsy DeVos with Transgender Pride Cape: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Genderqueer Student Brilliantly Trolls Betsy DeVos with Transgender Pride Cape: WATCH

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: May 30, 2018

NEW VIDEO FROM HRC — WHAT’S AT STAKE AT THE SUPREME COURT? A LICENSE TO DISCRIMINATE: Any day now, the Supreme Court of the United States is expected to rule in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a case involving a baker who in 2012 refused to provide a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. That means the Supreme Court could decide whether doors can be closed to some or whether they must be #OpenToAll. The decision could open the door to businesses refusing services to people of color, religious minorities and people with disabilities. More from HRC.

NEW JERSEY PASSES BILL MODERNIZING PROCESS TO CHANGE GENDER MARKER ON BIRTH CERTIFICATE: The bill, which now heads to Governor Phil Murphy’s office, removes the current surgical requirement for updating one’s gender marker. When asked about the legislation, the governor’s office said that Murphy “is committed to fighting for the equal treatment of all New Jersey’s residents, regardless of sex, race, gender identity or country of origin.” This measure was previously vetoed by then-Governor Chris Christie. More from HRC and Observer.

• New Jersey lawmakers also passed a bill that requires the sex designation on a decedent’s death certificate to accurately reflect their gender identity. It also creates a process for determining the gender identity of a decedent for purposes of their death certificate if conflicting information exists.

CONNECTICUT GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL ALLOWING TRANS INMATES TO BE HOUSED ACCORDING TO THEIR GENDER IDENTITY: The law, which goes into effect July 1, also ensures that trans inmates will be searched by officers matching their gender, have their pronouns respected and have access to clothing and toiletries matching their gender. Metro Weekly’s John Riley (@JohnAndresRiley) reports that Connecticut is the first state with such a law. More from Metro Weekly.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING WEDNESDAY: Jessa Gillaspie planned the perfect proposal for her girlfriend, Becky McCabe. Turns out, Becky had the exact same plan! Watch this adorable couple propose to each other at the Memphis Zoo. More from WMC Action News 5.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love.
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. #LoveIsLove #LoveWins ❤️��‍❤️‍���� t.co/y8KBS9gIwc

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 29, 2018

ANTI-LGBTQ ADOPTION LAWS ARE HURTING LGBTQ YOUTH: Slate’s Evan Urquhart (@e_urq) shares the story of a transgender foster child who found a loving home with a LGBTQ family. Recently, Oklahoma and Kansas unconscionably targeted prospective LGBTQ foster and adoptive parents, approving laws that grant child welfare agencies license to discriminate with taxpayer funds against prospective LGBTQ foster or adoptive parents, single parents, or other qualified families. More from Slate.

HRC JOINS COALITION CALLING ON SEC. OF ED. BETSY DEVOS TO RESPECT THE LAW AND PROTECT UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN: The letter reads, “It is imperative that you immediately make clear publicly, to children, their families, and educators in every public school in multiple languages and through all of the Department’s communication channels that all children in this country have a right to a public education from kindergarten through 12th grade regardless of their immigration status… This right is protected by the Supreme Court and federal law and cannot be changed by the Secretary of Education, the Attorney General, any state, district, school, or any individual.” More from The Leadership Conference.

• Michigan student wears transgender Pride flag to school on day DeVos visited: “Public schools are a place for all children,” said the eighth grade genderqueer advocate Torin Hodgman. More from Michigan Live and The Hill.

SAME-SEX COUPLE STABBED IN DENVER: The couple say they were holding hands while walking home from a nightclub when they were stabbed by a man who yelled anti-LGBTQ slurs at them. Police have made an arrest, and are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. More from Advocate.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA HOLDS LGBTQ HEALTH SYMPOSIUM TO ADDRESS CRITICAL NEEDS OF COMMUNITY: More from Richmond Times-Dispatch.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

HRC MOURNS TRANSGENDER WOMAN MURDERED BY MOB IN INDIA: Three other trans women were harmed in this brutal attack by 20 people in Hyderabad. Authorities say 12 people have been arrested in connection to the crime. More from CNN.

HRC SE REÚNE CON LÍDERES CORPORATIVOS PARA HABLAR SOBRE INCLUSIÓN LGBTQ EN COLOMBIA: Durante la Cumbre de Pride Connection Colombia, HRC se reunió con líderes corporativos para analizar las mejores prácticas y políticas para trabajadores LGBTQ. Más de Colombia.com.

WALES CHANGES SCHOOL CURRICULUM TO REQUIRE LGBTQ-INCLUSIVE SEX EDUCATION: It becomes the first part of the U.K. to have such a curriculum. More from Vice.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND DIOCESE ENCOURAGES LGBTQ FAITHFUL TO SEEK LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE CHURCH: Said the Diocese of Lichfield. “Nobody should be told that their sexual or gender identity in itself makes them an unsuitable candidate for leadership in the Church.” More from Christian Post.

HORRIFYING — ANTI-EQUALITY EXTREMISTS THREATEN TO STAB LGBTQ WORLD CUP FANS: The threats were sent to Pride in Football — an alliance of LGBTQ soccer fans — and have been reported to police. The group recently warned LGBTQ fans to take safety precautions at the World Cup in Russia, which starts June 14, because of the country’s anti-LGBTQ law. More from Daily Mail.

NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS STRUGGLES OF IRISH LGBTQ YOUTH: More from Irish Examiner.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Washington Blade speaks to an openly gay Puerto Rico hairdresser rebuilding following Hurricane Maria; Texas Tribune recaps the story of a Mansfield teacher placed on administrative leave for showing a photo of her wife to her class; Mashable reports on a Swedish symphony who turned anti-LGBTQ hate mail into a beautiful cantata; Billboard covers P!nk’s recent post wearing an HRC “Make America Gay Again” hat.

pic.twitter.com/1gECcugQ2o

— P!nk (@Pink) May 29, 2018

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-may-30-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

New Jersey Legislature Passes Bills to Ensure Birth and Death Certificates Reflect Gender Identity

Last week, New Jersey lawmakers passed two bills—S.478 and S.493—to ensure that residents’ birth and death certificates accurately reflect their gender identity. Both bills now head to Governor Phil Murphy for his approval.

S.478 modernizes the process for updating the gender marker on a person’s birth certificate by removing the current unnecessary and expensive requirement of gender-affirmation surgery. Instead, S.478 would allow a resident to obtain a corrected birth certificate by submitting a form affirming under penalty of perjury that the update is needed in order to accurately reflect their gender identity. Under the bill, residents will also be able to have the gender on their birth certificate reflected as undesignated or non-binary.

Unnecessary and invasive obstacles to updating one’s birth certificate gender marker can prevent many transgender and gender non-conforming people from obtaining identification that accurately reflects who they are. Research shows that transgender and gender non-conforming people with incongruent identity documents frequently experience violence and discrimination. The 2015 U.S Transgender Survey found that nearly one-third of transgender people with incongruent documents were verbally harassed, denied benefits or service, asked to leave, or assaulted. Bills like S.B. 478 are vital to protecting the dignity and safety of transgender individuals.

Additionally, S.493 requires the sex designation on a decedent’s death certificate to accurately reflect their gender identity. It also creates a process for determining the gender identity of a decedent for purposes of their death certificate if conflicting information exists.

HRC’s 2017 State Equality Index (SEI) classifies New Jersey under the category of “Solidifying Equality.” The state currently has LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination laws covering employment, housing, public accommodations and education.

More information on the SEI can be found here.

www.hrc.org/blog/new-jersey-legislature-passes-bills-to-ensure-birth-and-death-certificates?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

The 13 Worst Things You Can Say During A Breakup

The infamous break up conversation – we hate it, never seem to be prepared to have it, and always exit it with so much left unsaid. Ever wake up in the middle of the night, after a tearful conversation, because your brain finally thought of that epic one-liner or comeback to all the points laid […]

The post The 13 Worst Things You Can Say During A Breakup appeared first on PlentyOfFish Blog.

The 13 Worst Things You Can Say During A Breakup

Gus Kenworthy pens heartbreaking Instagram post following the sudden death of his beloved puppy
Gus and his boyfriend rescued the puppy from a dog meat farm in South Korea during the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

www.queerty.com/gus-kenworthy-pens-heartbreaking-instagram-post-sudden-death-beloved-puppy-20180529?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

I can’t get into adult films. Does that make me weird? 
“I’d rather do it than look at other guys doing it” is what I usually tell guys on Grindr when they invite me over for a 420/adult-film double bill.

www.queerty.com/cant-get-adult-films-make-weird-20180528?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Gus Kenworthy and Matthew Wilkas Mourn the Loss of Their Rescue Puppy Beemo

Gus Kenworthy / Instagram

U.S. Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy announced on Sunday that Beemo, the dog he and boyfriend Matthew Wilkas had adopted from a dog meat farm in South Korea, died suddenly. Kenworthy’s efforts in South Korea helped facilitate the shutdown of the farm by the Humane Society International, which brought 90 of the dogs back to North America.

Gus Kenworthy Instagram

Explained Kenworthy in a heartbreaking Instagram post:

“Two days ago my beautiful baby Beemo passed away. It was completely unexpected and Matt and I are beside ourselves trying to cope with her loss. For a week or so we’d been worrying because she was showing less and less interest in her food. There were several trips to the vet and on our final visit this past Thursday I asked them do a full body scan in case there was an underlying issue they had missed.

“Beemo went into a panic attack during the x-rays and her breathing became rapid and shallow. The scan revealed that her lungs were deteriorated and that her heart was too big for her body – a birth defect we had no way of knowing about. Unable to treat her there, I rushed her to the emergency vet where a breathing tube was put down her throat. They hoped that with a respirator breathing for her they could get her vitals back to a normal level so she could be treated but they were never able to do so.

“The past two days have been a blur. It all happened so fast that it’s still hard to believe it. The ER doc told us that even if we’d somehow spotted the issue earlier it wouldn’t have made a difference in the end. He said that she’d been living on “borrowed time” from the get go. Beemo was truly the best thing that ever happened to me and I feel so fortunate for our borrowed time together.

“I’ve never loved anything or anyone in the way that I loved that dog and she is and will always be deeply missed. She was so smart and playful. She brought so much happiness to so many people every single day. I’ll always remember being out on a walk with her and every other second she would get stopped by someone wanting to pet her, kneel down and kiss her, hold her in their arms or take a photo and on many occasions a crowd of people would have formed around her. That was her power: she made people smile. She was the kindest, most gentle soul I’ve ever known. She loved people. She loved birds and the snow. She loved me and Matt. But most of all she loved meeting other dogs. If any of you have pets up in doggy heaven please tell them to go find Bee because she could really use a good play date right now. RIP sweet creature – your daddy loves you more than you could ever even know!”

Matt Wilkas Instagram

Wilkas mourned the pup as well:

“This is an incredibly sad post, I’m sorry… On Thursday @beemopup passed away. She had gotten sick about a week prior, stopped eating… the vets thought it was worms or possibly fussiness. When she wasn’t getting better we brought her to the vet again and they took x-rays that revealed her heart was too big. She was born with a heart defect we weren’t aware of. It was effecting all of her functions.

“We rushed her to the emergency room in an attempt to save her but there was nothing that could be done. The ER vets brought us down to be with her as she died. I can’t say I’ve ever experienced anything so heartbreaking. We pet her, we kissed her, we said our goodbyes and watched her take her last breaths. Many people who have never owned a dog might think to themselves “it’s just a dog”. But she wasn’t just a dog. She was our friend, she was our family, she was there in the morning when we woke up, she was so happy to see us every time we came home, and she loved us unconditionally. From the moment we met her on a dog meat farm in South Korea we knew how special she was.

“She made a hundred people smile every day. Every walk we took her on was interrupted again and again by people wanting to meet her, pet her, kiss her. (If you are reading this and you met her, then you know what i mean). She loved people. She loved playing with other dogs. She loved birds. Even on her last walks, when she was at her most tired and weakest, she really just wanted to be a puppy and play. She changed peoples lives. She changed my life. She changed Gus’s life. And she brought attention to an important cause (PLEASE RESCUE A DOG! PLEASE DONATE TO @hsiglobal THEY ARE, IN ADDITION TO DOING SO MANY OTHER THINGS, SHUTTING DOWN THE MEAT FARM INDUSTRY IN SOUTH KOREA!) I feel so grateful and lucky to have known her even for a brief moment. And I don’t regret giving her a happy love-filled life only to be so heartbroken now. It was worth it. Goodbye Bee. ”

Sorry for your loss, guys.

The post Gus Kenworthy and Matthew Wilkas Mourn the Loss of Their Rescue Puppy Beemo appeared first on Towleroad.

Gus Kenworthy and Matthew Wilkas Mourn the Loss of Their Rescue Puppy Beemo

What’s new in WeChat 6.6.7 for iOS: Float window and in-camera translation

Download and install the latest version of WeChat version 6.6.7 for iOS and check out the latest features.

Float a web page window

When reading an Official Account article or viewing a web page, swipe and hold right and a small “Float window” area will appear in the lower right corner. Drag and release to this corner and your web page will be minimized to a small, floating icon so that you can continue to use other parts of WeChat and return to reading your web page later.

 

Use “Scan” to translate English to-and-from Chinese

Go to the “Discover” tab and select “Scan” and a new “Translate” option is offered. Place  text such as from a menu or a newspaper in screen and tap the camera button and it will automatically translate the text. This is a great option for when you’re traveling or on-the-go.

  

This feature converts English to Chinese or Chinese to English and we hope to add additional languages over time.

Voice Input now supports English, Mandarin Chinese, and Cantonese Chinese

Want to send a message while on-the-go or when it’s inconvenient to type a message out? Within a chat, tap the “+” button, select “Voice Input” and start speaking your message to have it automatically converted to text. Now, “Voice Input” supports English, Mandarin Chinese, and Cantonese Chinese making it even easier for you send messages to your friends around-the-world.

  

Go to the iOS App Store and upgrade to the latest version of WeChat today.

blog.wechat.com/2018/05/28/whats-new-in-wechat-6-6-7-for-ios-float-window-and-in-camera-translation/

‘La Cage Aux Folles’ Heading to the Middle East

Proceeds from the production will benefit LGBT youth.

www.advocate.com/theater/2018/5/27/la-cage-aux-folles-heading-middle-east