Virginia
LEESBURG, VA -- The Loudoun County Virginia, Board of Supervisors has issued a statement breaking the board's silence since last week's Washington Post story which claimed that Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) used county resources for political gain. Delgaudio, who also is head of the Southern Poverty Law Center listed anti-gay hate group, Public Advocate of The United States, was accused by a former staffer of mixing that organisation's business and county business.
On Tuesday the board said:
"Recently, allegations have been made in the media regarding the use of Board staff aides and other government resources for political fundraising by a member of the Board of Supervisors. These allegations, if true, are at least a violation of county policy and are being taken seriously by the Board. The county’s policy for staff aides clearly states that “political activity must not occur using county property or during county paid time.”
When the Board’s leadership team was made aware of these allegations against Supervisor Delgaudio, we asked that the complaint filed against Mr. Delgaudio be given to the Loudoun County Commonwealth Attorney Jim Plowman for review. Mr. Plowman then referred the matter to the Commonwealth Attorney’s office in Arlington for an independent assessment. Based on the information provided at that time, the Arlington’s Commonwealth Attorney did not recommend pursuing any charges against Mr. Delgaudio."
Loudoun Times Mirror Governmental Affairs correspondent Trevor Baratko reported that
Loudoun Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (R-At Large) is expected Wednesday during a regular business meeting to request a board vote on whether to conduct an independent investigation into allegations allegations of misconduct. Further, York will ask that the board have the Finance, Government Services & Operations Committee do a thorough review of all board aide policies.
The Post story- published September 25- reported that several Delgaudio aides told FBI agents that they were tasked with inappropriate political duties while working in his Supervisor's office.
The Board Of Supervisor's statement however, noted that none of the county's top officals have been contacted:
"It has also been alleged in recent news articles that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is also looking into this matter. At this time, the Board, County Administration or the County Attorney has not been contacted by the FBI. This Board believes it is incumbent upon any Board of Supervisors to operate with the highest of ethical standards and conduct. Regardless of any ongoing investigation by an outside party, it is imperative that this Board investigate this matter to ensure the integrity of the Board of Supervisors, and take action if a member of the Board has violated those standards."
Delgaudio did not return calls for comment.
Minnesota
WINONA, MN -- Arlington Virginia based conservative youth group Campus Reform posted a video Monday, that was shot last Thursday as Gay Activist and Seattle Columnist Dan Savage delivered a speech at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota, that was highly critical of Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, and Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann
Savage, using caustic language, declared:
"Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council — First of all, they tell, Tony Perkins tells parents whose kids come out to reject them. Tony Perkins tells the parents of queer kids to do what Tony Perkins damn well knows drives those kids to suicide — doubles their already quadruple rate of suicide. Why would someone who calls themselves a Christian do that?
Because every dead gay kid is a victory for the Family Research Council. They argue that the gay lifestyle is sick and sinful and dangerous and they point to the suicide rate, and then they turn around and do everything in their power to make sure that suicide rate does not come down and to drive it up.
Tony Perkins sits on a pile of dead gay kids every day when he goes to work — and he calls himself a Christian. I don’t understand how real Christians let that little fucker get away with that."
Savage also went after Congresswoman Bachmann, who is currently in a tight race against her Democratic opponent Jim Graves in which the candidates are statistically tied, with Bachmann leading by a slim 48 percent to 46 percent.
Savage said of the congresswoman: "We will always have ignorant dicks like Michele Bachmann and her fag husband."
Despite complaints by Campus Reform and other conservative groups, administrators at the university remained unapologetic for hosting the event.
Kathleen Peterson, the WSU administrator in charge of the Lyceum Series told Campus Reform on Thursday they picked Savage because “we believe that he’s an important advocate for the LGBTQ community and for simply young people in general to have a place, a safe place, where they can ask natural questions they have about sex and relationships”.
In a Tweet Monday, Savage stood by his speech saying: "I'm Dan Savage and I approved -- and stand by -- this message."
Savage has a history of controversial remarks. He made statements about Christianity and the Bible to high school students this past April at a conference in Seattle that created a stir in the Evangelical community for his labeling the bible, "bullshit."
Neither Family Research Council nor Campus Reform responded to requests for comments.
Texas
FORT WORTH, TX -- A grand jury indicted four teens Monday who stand accused of writing anti-gay slurs and other vulgar messages on vehicles and homes in an Arlington, Texas neighborhood last June.
Tarrant County Grand jurors returned the indictments of felonious graffiti causing $1,500 to $20,000 in damages against John Austin Cartwright, 17, of Arlington; Seth Stephen Hatcher, 18, of Arlington; and Morgen Rae Aubuchon, 18, also of Arlington. Daniel Damian Sibley, 18, of Fort Worth was also indicted.
According to court records, the June 10 case involved at least 13 criminal mischief incidents near the 1100 block of Crowley Road in Arlington. All of the defendants now are awaiting trial(s).
A fifth teen, a 16-year-old girl, surrendered to Arlington Police investigators and was turned over to juvenile authorities. She was not identified because she is a juvenile and the status of the juvenile charges against her was unavailable as of Monday.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that home surveillance cameras caught the teens in the act, according to Arlington police. Police are treating the case as a hate crime.
A video shows the teens spray-painting property, and another video shows a vehicle that police believe the teens had used that morning, police said.
Authorities have said that some of the teens lived in the neighborhood but that investigators did not have evidence that they knew their victims.
Police say they believe that at least one house was targeted because a lesbian couple lives there. The other graffiti painted in the northwest Arlington neighborhood included racial slurs, hateful messages and derogatory images
Missouri
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO -- Mercedes Ayers, 17, has pleaded guilty to a hate crime charge in the July 24 beating of a local lesbian resident.
Ayers was charged with a class B felony charge of first-degree burglary for entering the victim’s home with the intent of assaulting her. However, the second charge of third-degree assault, which is normally a misdemeanor, was upgraded because Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor Morley Swingle who said that the assault was a hate crime due to the victim’s sexual orientation.
On Monday, prosecutor Swingle dropped the burglary charge agains Ayers in exchange for her plea baragin in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court. Ayers pleaded guilty to felony assault motivated by discrimination in the attack on 41-year-old Jeana Terry.
According to court documents, the victim, Jeana Terry, told law enforcement officials that Ayers pulled her from the home and, along with Ayers’ two younger siblings and some of their friends, beat her while yelling anti-gay slurs.
Terry opened the door and Ayers grabbed her by the arm and pulled her onto the porch and attacked her. Terry attempted to escape and yelled to Lange to call 911. Ayers allegedly pursued, punching Terry as several other juveniles — including two of Ayers’ younger siblings — joined in.
Terry never hit back, court records show, instead attempting from the ground to block the repeated blows and stomps to her head and body. Ayers allegedly yelled racial slurs at Terry during the beating and made comments about Terry’s sexual orientation.
Ms Terry suffered serious injuries and was hospitalised.
Terry said she is relieved by Ayers’ plea and says she hopes the teenager will be able to turn her life around and finish high school.
Ayers is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment