Tag Archives: law

SCOTUS Ethics Breach: Supreme Court Judges Alito and Kavanaugh Meet w/ Anti-LGBT Hate Group Leader

SCOTUS Ethics Breach: Supreme Court Judges Alito and Kavanaugh Meet w/ Anti-LGBT Hate Group Leader

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Via the website Above The Law:

If the Supreme Court followed the basic rules of ethics applicable to every other court, Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh would have to recuse themselves from the Bostock, Altitude Express, and R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes cases — the ones which seek to reinterpret Title VII to allow for bigotry against the LGBT community. Alito and Kavanaugh took some sort of meeting and even posed for a picture with the leader of a virulent anti-LGBT group, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).

It’s really bad enough that conservative justices are so willing to give public aid and comfort to right-wing groups like the Federalist Society. But this meeting with the NOM is is outrageous. NOM has filed an amicus brief with the Court in the Bostock/Altitude/Funeral Homes cases. The Court has heard arguments and the justices are ostensibly working on their opinions in those cases RIGHT NOW. Taking meeting and a picture with people who have a case and argument pending in front of you would be unacceptable for any other court in the land.

Brian Brown has a long history of anti-gay activism is working to get the Supreme Court to overturn its 2015 Obergefell decision. He also has publically denounced presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s marriage as illegitimate.

SCOTUS unfortunately is not subject to the same ethics rules that all other judges in the country are.

Brazil's Supreme Court Rules Homophobia and Transphobia Is Illegal

Brazil’s Supreme Court Rules Homophobia and Transphobia Is Illegal

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Six out of 11 judges of Brazil’s Supreme Court have voted that discrimination against gays and transgender people equivalent to racism and therefore a crime punishable by law.

The decision will give the community, which suffers constant attacks, real protection, activists say.

At least 141 LGBT people have been killed in Brazil this year, according to rights group Grupo Gay da Bahia.

“Homophobic crimes are as alarming as physical violence,” Supreme Court Vice-President Luiz Fux said on his vote, citing “epidemic levels of homophobic violence”.

For almost 20 years there have been efforts to make homophobia a crime in Brazil, but legislation on the matter has faced resistance among conservative and religious groups in Congress.

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain who assumed office on Jan. 1, has a history of offensive comments about gays, blacks and other minorities, openly acknowledging he is a homophobe. He has said he would rather have a dead son than a gay son.

The decision at the Supreme Court means that offences are to be punished under the country’s racism law until Congress approves specific legislation to protect LGBT people,

Racism was made a crime in Brazil in 1989 with prison sentences of up to five years.

Bermuda Supreme Court Strikes Down Gay Marriage Ban

BOOYAH! – Bermuda Supreme Court Strikes Down Gay Marriage Ban

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Bermuda Supreme Court Strikes Down Gay Marriage Ban

The Bermuda Supreme Court ruled that a previous law rescinding marriage rights to same-sex couples was unconstitutional on Wednesday, according to Bermuda’s The Royal Gazette.

 The court upheld a challenge to the Domestic Partnership Act because it was “inconsistent with provisions in the Constitution which give the right to freedom of conscience and creed,” according to Chief Justice Ian Kawaley’s judgement. This comes after Parliament passed the Act in December, essentially reversing the court’s view on same-sex marriage and becoming the first country to roll back same-sex-marriage.

A campaign partially funded by Carnival Cruise Lines, and boycott’s of the country by LGBT tourist joined the effort to challenge the law, and the ruling is seen as a win for Bermuda’s weakened tourism industry.

Man Gets $3.5 Million Settlement For Being Fired Because He Was Gay

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Stephen Habberstad

 

Man Gets $3.5 Million Settlement For Being Fired Because He Was Gay

Minnesota banking executive Stephen Habberstad, came out in his late 50s, to his wife and family which not only left him on the outs with his relatives, but also got fired from the family run banking business Country Bankers, Inc., — and  despite claims from the family that they terminated him for legitimate business reasons, Steele County District Judge Joseph Bueltel  ruled last month that the real reason that Habberstad was fired, is because he is gay.

Bueltel  awarded $3.5 million to Habberstad, according to NewNowNext: $798,733 in back pay, $25,000 for emotional distress and at least $100,000 a year for life, given an estimated life expectancy of 21 years.

The award of $3.5 million is believed to be the largest payout in Minnesota history to one person for a sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit.

Minnesota is one of 31 states a state that has anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people. If Stephen Habberstad,  would have lived in one of the other 29 other states, his family could have fired him completely legally and he would not have gotten a penny

 

Insurance Giant Aetna Hilt With LGB Discrimination Lawsuit Over Fertility Treatments

EEOC Files Landmark Lawsuits Charging Discriminating Against Sexual Orientation is a Violation of Sex Discrimination

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EEOC Sexual Orientation Bias Lawsuits

 

There is a chance that the gay and lesbian community might not have to wait for The Equality Act to be signed into law to at least be protected against the abuse of job discrimination.

Yesterday the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)  filed two lawsuits alleging that two companies engaged in anti-gay discrimination in violation of the sex discrimination ban in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The EEOC is suing Pallet Companies in Maryland, alleging the company discriminated against a lesbian employee “by subjecting her to harassment” which resulted in her being fired. The company is also accused of retaliating against the employee when she made a complaint.

The other case involves Scott Medical Health Center in Pennsylvania. It is alleged that the company subjected a gay employee “to a sexually hostile work environment” and effectively fired him by failing to address the issue.

In 2014, the EEOC filed lawsuits alleging that anti-trans discrimination is barred under Title VII, a finding with which the Obama administration agreed.

Although the Justice Department has not explicitly supported the EEOC on the issue of sexual orientation discrimination, earlier this year it declined to seek outright dismissal of a lawsuit based on the argument.

Last month, we reported that the EEOC urged a federal appeals court to rule in favor of a lesbian who claims she was fired by a Florida college because she married a woman.

“With the filing of these two suits, EEOC is continuing to solidify its commitment to ensuring that individuals are not discriminated against in workplaces because of their sexual orientation,” said EEOC General Counsel David Lopez. “While some federal courts have begun to recognize this right under Title VII, it is critical that all courts do so.”

You can read the complaints by hitting the links below:

Complaints:
EEOC v. Pallet Companies (Maryland): http://bit.ly/1QJsHIt
EEOC v. Scott Medical Health Center (Pennsylvania): http://bit.ly/1Rk3qVQ

Special thanks to Kathleen Perrin of the Equality Case Files

Michigan State Senate Passes Unconstitutional Sodomy Law That’s Linked To Bestiality

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Michigan still sucks

Despite the fact that Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003) the landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas and, by extension, invalidated sodomy laws in all other states.  The  Republican controlled Michigan Senate has passed a bill that effectively reaffirms the state’s unconstitutional law making sodomy a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Michigan’s is one of the few states  that make oral and anal sex crimes illegal regardless of whether they’re same-sex or different-sex and who’s unconstitutional  sodomy ban is intertwined with a prohibition on bestiality – effectively equating the two. The law makes it a felony for anyone to commit “the abominable and detestable crime against nature with mankind or with any animal.” If the person is already a sex offender, violations are punishable by life in prison.

The New Civil Rights Movement reports:

For the last several years, Michigan legislators have been trying to pass an important package of bills referred to as Logan’s Law, designed to keep pets out of the hands of animal abusers, according to The Detroit Free Press. Among the bills in the Logan’s Law package — named for a Siberian husky who died tragically after acid was intentionally poured on him — is Senate Bill 219, by GOP Sen. Rick Jones. In addition to barring convicted animal abusers from owning pets for five years, SB 219 would update language in the state’s ban on bestiality and sodomy as follows:

Screen_Shot_2016-02-05_at_3.13.09_PM.png

SB 219 passed the Senate Thursday, with the above language intact, and is expected to be considered by the House as early as next week.

But according to Republican Senator Rick Jones striking the words “either with mankind or” from SB 219. isn’t going to happen for fear of “jeopardizing” the “whole bill”,

“The minute I cross that line and I start talking about the other stuff, I won’t even get another hearing. It’ll be done. Nobody wants to touch it. I would rather not even bring up the topic, because I know what would happen. You’d get both sides screaming and you end up with a big fight that’s not needed because it’s unconstitutional. But if you focus on it, people just go ballistic. If we could put a bill in that said anything that’s unconstitutional be removed from the legal books of Michigan, that’s probably something I could vote for, but am I going to mess up this dog bill that everybody wants? No.”

Rick Snyder, Detroit, toxic water, anti-gay. Why would anyone want to live in that God forsaken state?

The best thing that could ever happen to Michigan would be if Canada invaded.  But they don’t want it either.

What a dump.

GOP Presidential Wannabe Rick “Man on Dog” Santorum Says If Elected He’ll Enforce DOMA

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Santorum is an Idiot

 

I tell you kids, you just can’t make this stuff up.

GOP Presidential Nominee wannabe Rick “Man on Dog”  Santorum who is polling at 0% says he would start fix the Supreme Court by enforcing DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 that banned the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages even though that same Supreme Court in 2013 ruled Section 3 of DOMA unconstitutional.  But Santorum disagrees, and says the court’s decision “wholly” was wrong he would still try to enforce the now defunct law.

That’s where I would start,” Santorum says. “This was a decision that was extra-constitutional. That law is good, valid law and I would enforce that law.”

Someone pass Rick some Charmin so he can wipe his mouth because he is talking some crazy idiotic “santorum” once again.

 

TWEETS OF THE DAY: Matthew Modine takes on the Family Research Center - Matt Gaetz Gets The "Clickbait" Treatment and MORE

Anti-Gay And “Not So Sweet” Cakes by Melissa Bakers Laugh At And Pray For “Ignorant” Gay Tweeters

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Sweet Cakes

Anti-gay bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein of Sweet Cakes by Melissa who finally after 2 years paid the $136,927 fine for refusing a lesbian couple service  that covers the couple’s damages following the January 2013.

The Klein’s, have been given more than half a million dollars in donations, and payments in fees for performing at right-wing and hate group gathering like the Family Research Council’s yearly hatefest in Washington the Values Voters Summit.

Well the Klein’s it seems have taken a break from their Bigot Tour to make a video for the  Heritage Foundation’s Daily Signal, in which Aaron and Melissa Klein read “mean tweets” while laughing and mocking their “ignorant” critics, and telling viewers they “pray for” those who are opposed their “KKK-ristianity”.

 

Philadelphia Gay Basher Katherine Knott Found GUILTY! – Jurors “Disgusted” By Her Anti-Gay Behavior

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Knott Guilty

After only  three days of deliberations a Philadelphia jury today found Kathryn Knott guilty in the brutal September 2014 attack on a gay couple.  Knott was found guilty of simple assault, two counts of reckless endangerment, and conspiracy.

Philly.com reports:

A Philadelphia jury Friday found Kathryn Knott guilty of simple assault and conspiracy but acquitted her of a more serious count of aggravated assault an attack on a gay couple in Center City last year. Knott, 25, bit her lips when the jury forewoman announced the guilty verdicts. The panel convicted her of simple assault against one victim and conspiracy. Kathryn Knott, 25, of Southampton, Bucks County, was accused of punching one of the gay men and yelling anti-gay slurs. The defense contended she did not hit anyone or yell anything derogatory.

Philly.com also reports that in the end the jurors were “disgusted” with Knott’s lies and anti-gay behavior.

Three jurors spoke to reporters outside the courthouse. They all expressed sympathy for the victims — Zachary Hesse, 29, and his boyfriend, Andrew Haught, 28. Joan Bellinger, 67, the jury forewoman, said the jurors all believed Knott punched Hesse and yelled anti-gay slurs.

But she said jurors had to compromise on certain things. Another juror, Aristeo Duenas, 33, of Brewerytown, said: “The conspiracy was what was tripping us up.” He and juror Gina Cook, 36, of Roxborough, said jurors had to examine what the law said on the various charges Knott faced.

“If the decisions went the way that I wanted them to go, she would have been guilty on everything, but when you read the actual law,” and apply it to what happened, it can be different, said Duenas, a public-school teacher.

Asked about her tweets, Duenas said: “We were pretty disgusted. It was pretty embarrassing to watch her testify. She was trying to explain away these tweets. … She would have become a better character to me if she would have been like, ‘You know what, I messed up. I said those things. It was stupid. “

Knott’s sentencing will take place on February 8th. 2016.

 

American Bar Association Adopts Resolution: LGBT Rights Are Basic Human Rights

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ABA

 

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association recognizes that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people have a human right to be free from discrimination, threats and violence based on their LGBT status and condemns all laws, regulations and rules or practices that discriminate on the basis that an individual is a LGBT person;

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the governments of countries where such discriminatory laws, regulations, and practices exist to repeal them with all deliberate speed and ensure the safety and equal protection under the law of all LGBT people;

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges other bar associations and attorneys in jurisdictions where there are such discriminatory laws or incidents of targeting of LGBT people to work to defend victims of anti-LGBT discrimination or conduct, and to recognize and support their colleagues who take these cases as human rights advocates; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the United States Government, through bilateral and multilateral channels, to work to end discrimination against LGBT people and to ensure that the rights of LGBT people receive equal protection under the law.

Boy is Matt “I Wanted For A Hate Crime In Canada. Well Actually I’m Not” Barber and his shyster lawyers at the Liberty Counsel going to blow a gasket over this one.

Deeeeeeeeelicious!

You can read the entire resolution in full here