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Ironically, Breitbart Quits GOProud: Says He Has Zero Tolerance For Inflicting Vocational Harm

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In an amazing display of flip-floppiness, “yellow journalist” Andrew Breitbart quits GOProud because he has decided he might have a shred of misplaced human decency after all.

Andrew Breitbart, the radical Tea Party media mogul best-known as a purveyor of misleading and faulty — if not outright false —  information that has led to thousands losing their jobs, has quit his GOProud Advisory Board post after less than a year, in response to the “outing” of Tony Fabrizio, a Rick Perry pollster and senior operative. GOProud is the gay Tea Party group best known for its irrelevant Left-bashing, and for its association with and blind support of anti-gay politicians, along with incessant inflammatory rhetoric.

WATCH: Breitbart Fantasizes About Killing Liberals: “We outnumber them and we have the guns”

GOProud co-founder Jimmy LaSalvia Wednesday lashed out via Twitter, writing, “I’ve just about had it with faggots who line their pockets with checks from anti-gay homophobes while throwing the rest of us under the bus.” LaSalvia shortly thereafter clarified, tweeting, “Rick Perry’s pollster & strategist is a gay guy. Totally disgusting.” LasSalvia was referring to Tony Fabrizio.

Will Kohler of Back2Stonewall was one of the first to report the subject of the outing, asking, “So is Fabzrio [sic] the strategist behind Perry’s recent attacks on the LGBT Community to cowtow to the extreme religious right nothing more than a greedy self loathing closet case ala Ken Mehlman?”

Apparently, LaSalvia had decided to become upset by the release of Rick Perry’s anti-gay and now viral video, “Strong,” in which Perry states, “I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian, but you don’t need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.” The video is now the most-disliked video in YouTube history.

READ: Ironic? Breitbart Blames Stewart For “Manipulative, Dishonest” Video.

LaSalvia, however, rarely if ever comes out to attack the repeated gay-bashing GOP politicians commit daily, and neglected to note that Tony Fabrizio in fact had strongly objected to the Perry ad, as Sam Stein at the Huffington Post noted the following day.

For their part, GOProud issued a statement Friday, two days after LaSalvia’s tweet, stating, “Let us be crystal clear, however, Tony Fabrizio is not the victim here,” and adding, in their defense, “From the time this organization was founded we have been clear in our opposition to outing. We would never intentionally out anyone,” adding, “we did not believe there was any question about his sexual orientation.”

In announcing his resignation from the GOProud board, Andrew Breitbart stated, “I have a zero tolerance attitude toward the intentional infliction of vocational and family harm by divulging the details of an individual’s sexual orientation as a weapon of political destruction.”

Ironic.

READ: Breitbart “Misrepresents,” Actually Gets Fired For It This Time!

Breitbart — whom New York Magazine refers to as a “yellow journalist” – had no difficulty publishing misleading information that led to the firing of Shirley Sherrod, a federal official, and also the flagrantly false video that led to the destruction of ACORN.

“‘Vocational and family harm’ are always tragic,” Brandon K. Thorp at Towleroad wrote today, pondering the irony. “But I wonder: Why does Breibart feel so keenly for the family and wallet of Mr. Fabrizio after displaying nothing but contempt for the families and wallets of the working-class ACORN staffers he and his pal James O’Keefe so willfully misrepresented back in 2009? And why didn’t he feel any sympathy for Shirley Sherrod, whose career he attempted to destroy with baseless charges of racism? Those individuals actually lost their jobs, which so far Fabrizio has not, and the ACORN workers didn’t even have any fancy beltway connections to help them land on their feet.”

Apparently, Breitbart’s “zero tolerance attitude” applies only to conservatives?

Breitbart is not the first to quit the gay Tea Party group. Earlier this year, right wing radio host and lesbian Tammy Bruce hung up her GOProud cleats after GOProud co-founder Chris Barron called anti-gay activist Cleta Mitchell a “bigot.”

Famous gay activist and the Managing Director and partner of Raw Story Media, Michael Rogers, well-known for outing as gay anti-gay politicians,wrote via Twitter yesterday, “@goproud @chrisrbarron Welcome to the team that supports the exposing of anti-gay hypocrites. I knew you guys would see the light.”

Whatever your stance on the outing of Tony Fabrizio, I hope we can all agree that GOProud’s entire existence serves little to no positive purpose, and their constant attention-seeking and offensive and arrogant behavior, including but far from limited to unwarranted attacks on the Left, only serves to depreciate the LGBT community in the eyes of the right, who often already despise us.

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'GOOD LUCK WITH THAT'

‘Trying to Have It Both Ways’: Ivanka ‘Flailing’ as Trump Indictment Slams Family

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While Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have taken to their social media platforms to viciously lash out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for indicting their father on a reported 30 charges, Ivanka Trump posted a rather muted statement on her Instagram account which simply said, “I love my father, and I love my country. Today, I am pained for both. I appreciate the voices across the political spectrum expressing support and concern.”

According to Daily Beast conservative columnist Matt Lewis, the so-called “First Daughter,” who served in the White House with her father, is trying to stay true to her former president dad, while distancing herself from his legal problems — and it is not going to work for her.

As Lewis put it, Ivanka is “flailing” in her attempts to shed the memory of her participation in the Trump administration that reached its lowest point on Jan. 6 when supporters of Trump stormed the Capitol and sent lawmakers fleeing for their lives.

“It’s hard to argue with anything Ivanka says here, but it is not a statement of moral clarity. Nor is it (conversely) a statement of strong support for her father. She’s flailing and trying to have it both ways,” Lewis wrote before adding, “Now, it’s understandable that a daughter might not want to utterly condemn her father. Further, children are not responsible for their parents’ sins. Except, of course, if you consider the fact that Ivanka served as the primary weapon in the ‘Trump’s not such a belligerent pig as his four decades as a public figure would make you think’ propaganda push.”

RELATED: Trump is so ‘unmoored from reality’ he can’t act as a defense witness: ‘Art of the Deal’ ghostwriter

Noting that Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner — who has baggage of his own — both stuck with Trump in the White House for all four years, Lewis added, “As far as the former first daughter goes, she and her husband might be done with politics, but once you’ve been a party to an administration like Trump’s, it’s going to be a long time before politics is done with them.”

“So, Ivanka, you want to have a seat at the cool apolitical kids’ table? You want to be once again accepted by the socially liberal billionaires’ children you used to go to the Hamptons with and now have Miami Beach playdates with? You want to enjoy the privileges of being a Trump with none of the shame? Good luck with that,” he concluded.

You can read more here.

 

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Dominion Wins ‘Blockbuster Victories’ Against Fox News – Last Legal Issue Will Be Decided by a Jury: Report

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Dominion Voting Systems won what are being called “blockbuster victories” Friday afternoon when a judge ruled the company suing Fox News for $1.6 billion in a major defamation lawsuit had met its burden of proof that Rupert Murdoch‘s far-right wing cable channel had repeatedly made false statements.

The final, and likely greatest legal issue Dominion will have to prove will be actual malice. That issue will be decided in a jury trial, Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric M. Davis ruled Friday, according to Law & Crime.

Unlike previous cases, Fox News will reportedly not be able to argue the on-air statements its personalities made were opinion.

CNN legal analyst and Brookings senior fellow Norm Eisen calls Friday’s decision a “huge win for Dominion on their summary judgment motion against Fox News.”

READ MORE: Capitol Police Issue Warning Over Possible Trump Protests ‘Across the Country’

“Dominion won partial summary judgement that what Fox said about them was false! Now they just have to prove actual malice and damages,” Eisen says. “Meanwhile Fox’s motion was totally denied.”

Former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance, an MSNBC contributor adds: “Dominion’s evidence Fox made false statements with reckless disregard  is as strong as any I’ve seen.”

The judge was very clear in his ruling.

“While the Court must view the record in the light most favorable to Fox, the record does not show a genuine issue of material fact as to falsity,” Judge Davis wrote. “Through its extensive proof, Dominion has met its burden of showing there is no genuine issue of material fact as to falsity. Fox therefore had the burden to show an issue of material fact existed in turn. Fox failed to meet its burden.”

READ MORE: ‘Propaganda Network’: Media Reporter Says Dominion Filing Exposes Fox News as ‘Void of the Most Basic Journalistic Ethics’

Attorney and MSNBC host and legal analyst Katie Phang points to this key passage in Judge Davis’ ruling.

Court watchers and news junkies are familiar at this point with the massive legal filings Dominion has made in which it exposed how Fox News knowingly made false statements regarding the 2020 presidential election. Those filings, each hundreds of pages, also detail internal Fox News communications and bombshell conversations between the company’s top personalities, executives, and even Chairman Rupert Murdoch.

 

Image of Rupert Murdoch via Shutterstock

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RIGHT WING EXTREMISM

Capitol Police Issue Warning Over Possible Trump Protests ‘Across the Country’

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The U.S. Capitol Police and the Senate Sergeant at Arms on Friday jointly issued a statement warning they “anticipate” Trump protests across the country. The statement is not time-specific, and it states it has no information on “credible threats,” but some Democratic offices are allowing staffers to work from home Friday and Tuesday.

“The Sergeant at Arms and United States Capitol Police (USCP) anticipate demonstration activity across the country related to the indictment of former President Trump. While law enforcement is not tracking any specific, credible threats against the Capitol or state offices, there is potential for demonstration activity. USCP is working with law enforcement partners, so you may observe a greater law enforcement presence on Capitol Hill,” the statement reads.

“The SAA and USCP are monitoring the potential nationwide impacts to Senate state offices,” it adds.

The House Sergeant at Arms was conspicuously absent from the statement. Speaker Kevin McCarthy has control over that office.

READ MORE: Trump Trial Could Go Well Into the 2024 Election – Or Possibly Even Past It: Former Prosecutor

Additionally, Axios is reporting, “several House Democrats are allowing staffers to work from home as a safety precaution,” noting that “the memory of Trump supporters ransacking the Capitol on Jan. 6 is still fresh on the mind.”

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) is allowing staff to work from home for safety reasons. She told Axios, “I don’t ever want to see a Jan. 6 again.”

“I’ve been in the Trump hate tunnel, Donald Trump has gone after me, and quite frankly I don’t have security. I don’t have entourages.”

She’s not the only Democrat to raise concerns.

“Much of the language from the former President and his devotees is similar to what inspired Jan. 6th,” U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips said. “I’m concerned about safety for my colleagues and my staff.”

READ MORE: ‘Lighting the Match’: Marjorie Taylor Greene Blasted for Off the Rails Rant Defending Trump

Meanwhile, House Republicans are issuing full-throated support for Trump and calling for protests.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who was called out by name in a six-page letter Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sent to Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan Friday morning, announced she will be in New York on Tuesday to support Trump when he is arraigned. She has posted several tweets since Trump was indicted.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy issued a statement Thursday seemingly designed to gin up rage and action in the MAGA base.

“Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election. As he routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public, he weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump. The American people will not tolerate this injustice, and the House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account.”

 

Image by Elvert Barnes via Flickr and a CC license

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