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via Cord Jefferson, Gawker Two months before alleged killer James Holmes stormed a Colorado movie theater, murdering 12 and injuring dozens more, police and politicians in a different place were trying to squelch the tremors from their own mass killing. It was in Chicago, over Memorial Day weekend, when police responded to more than 40 … Continue reading
via Nick Wing, The Huffington Post A Washington group supporting a state ballot effort to legalize and regulate marijuana rolled out an ambitious new ad campaign this week, seeking to put a spotlight on the initiative ahead of the November election. New Approach Washington unveiled the $1 million buy on Monday, and the 30-second spot … Continue reading
via Martin Austermuhle, DCist With same-sex marriage on Maryland’s November ballot, advocates on both sides of the debate are raising money, tightening up their talking points and looking for as many votes as possible. For now, though, it looks like the pro-marriage equality forces have the advantage. The Huffington Post reports that a new poll … Continue reading
via Julie Bolcer, The Advocate New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn filed a brief Wednesday joining their constituent, Edith Windsor, in asking the Supreme Court to hear her challenge against the Defense of Marriage Act. Windsor, 83, is suing the federal government over $363,000 in estate taxes she was … Continue reading
via The Huffington Post A Chicago alderman announced this week that he plans to block Chick-fil-A’s plans to open a new restaurant in the district he represents following recent anti-gay marriage remarks made by the chain’s president. “If you are discriminating against a segment of the community, I don’t want you in the 1st Ward,” … Continue reading
via James Arkin, New York Daily News A study by the city’s tourism agency, NYC & Company, and the City Clerk’s office estimates $259 million in overall economic impact came from same-sex marriages. “Marriage equality has made our City more open, inclusive and free — and has also helped to create jobs and support our … Continue reading
via Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), San Gabriel Valley Tribune Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, represents California’s 29th Congressional District. Three weeks ago, in a decision all but lost in the tumult over the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act, the Justices overturned a century-old Montana law that prohibited corporate spending in that state’s elections. In … Continue reading
via AP, The Huffington Post The mayor of Boston is vowing to block Chick-fil-A from opening a restaurant in the city after the company’s president spoke out publicly against gay marriage. Mayor Thomas Menino told the Boston Herald on Thursday that he doesn’t want a business in the city “that discriminates against a population.” Chick-fil-A … Continue reading
via Michael Cooper, The New York Times How well the new health care law succeeds in covering millions of the poorest Americans will depend largely on undecided governors of both parties, who gathered here this weekend and spoke of the challenges of weighing the law’s costs and benefits in a highly charged political atmosphere and … Continue reading
via Emily Le Coz, The Huffington Post * Abortion opponents say laws promote safety, better care * Mississippi could be first state without abortion facility * Nearly 40 laws passed this year, 60 in 2011 American women face increasing legal obstacles to obtaining abortions as more states pass laws restricting access, some so stringent they … Continue reading
via Associated Press, The Washington Post If you’ve ever lied to a potential Internet date about your weight, texted your spouse that you were someplace you weren’t or emailed mom to say how much you love that ugly new sweater, you were breaking the law if you did it in Rhode Island. But state lawmakers … Continue reading
via Laura Bassett, The Huffington Post North Carolina’s Republican-controlled state legislature voted Monday night to override Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of a state budget that strips money from Planned Parenthood. The same lawmakers overrode Perdue’s veto and moved to defund Planned Parenthood last year, but a judge blocked the provision, arguing that a state … Continue reading
via Associated Pres, NPR The Chicago City Council has approved a measure that would allow police officers to ticket instead of arrest people found with small amounts of marijuana. Aldermen voted 43-3 in favor of the ordinance Wednesday. Under the ordinance, anyone in possession of 15 grams of marijuana — roughly the equivalent of 15 … Continue reading
via The Associated Press, NPR The Supreme Court on Monday reaffirmed its 2-year-old decision allowing corporations to spend freely to influence elections. The justices struck down a Montana law limiting corporate campaign spending. By a 5-4 vote, the court’s conservative justices said the decision in the Citizens United case in 2010 applies to state campaign … Continue reading
via Jess Bravin and Miriam Jordan, The Wall Street Journal The Supreme Court upheld a key part of Arizona’s tough-immigration law but struck down others as intrusions on federal sovereignty, in a ruling that gave both sides something to cheer in advance of November elections where immigration is a major issue. The court backed a … Continue reading
via Kelly Newson, The Guardian Express Come July 1, Mississippi just may be the only state in the United States to not have an abortion clinic. This is due to a huge vote in that state’s legisture for all physicians to have admitting privileges to the local hospital. Many of the practicing physicians do not … Continue reading
via Manya Brachear, Chicago Tribune Seeking to heal historical rifts between religious congregations and the gay community, organizers of this year’s Pride Parade have moved the faithful closer to the front lines. More than a dozen religious organizations — Protestant, Jewish and, for the first time, Mormon — will lead the 2012 Pride Parade down … Continue reading
via Jason McLure, The Huffington Post Rhode Island’s governor is expected to sign into law the first “Homeless Bill of Rights” in the United States as early as next week, formally banning discrimination against homeless people and affirming their equal access to jobs, housing and services. The legislation, which won final approval by the state … Continue reading
via Laura Vozzella, The Washington Post One of several military veterans in Virginia’s House of Delegates has dropped his opposition to the appointment of a gay man as a judge, saying that he no longer believes Tracy Thorne-Begland violated Navy regulations when he came out on national television 20 years ago. In a letter sent … Continue reading
via Chad Livengood, Detroit News House Republicans tried to silence two female Democratic lawmakers Thursday for floor outbursts a day earlier referencing male sterilization and a female sex organ. The majority party prohibited state Rep. Lisa Brown from speaking on the floor Thursday after she ended a speech the day before against a bill restricting … Continue reading
via David G. Savage and Melanie Mason, L.A. Times When the Supreme Court ruled that corporations had the right to political free speech, it set loose a tidal wave of campaign money that helped elect a new Congress in 2010 and is now reshaping the presidential race. But the impact of the Citizens United decision … Continue reading
via Noreen Ahmed-Ullah and Joel Hood, Chicago Tribune The Chicago Teachers Union says nearly 90 percent of its members have voted to authorize a strike, far more than the required 75 percent. At a news conference announcing results of the vote, CTU President Karen Lewis said they show how the relationship between the Chicago Board … Continue reading
via Mary Bruce, ABC News In his first public reaction to the Wisconsin recall election that saved Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s job, President Obama said today that he “would have loved to have seen a different result,” but was adamant that the election does not have broader implications for November. “You have specific circumstances in … Continue reading
via Laura Bassett, The Huffington Post A massive, 60-page omnibus bill that drastically limits abortion access and could shut down all abortion clinics in the state is being rushed through the Michigan State House of Representatives on Thursday. The bill was introduced just last week, but lawmakers held a hearing for it on Thursday morning … Continue reading
via E.J. Dionne, Jr., The Washington Post The left will make a big mistake if it ignores the lessons of the failed recall in Wisconsin of Gov. Scott Walker (R). The right will make an even bigger error if it allows the Wisconsin results to feed its inclination toward winner-take-all politics. The danger on the … Continue reading
The Brandt Standard 