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Two Struggling New York City Actors Are Getting Married And Need Your Help!

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Every once in a while The New Civil Rights Movement departs from reporting the news to visit stories about the people we are actually fighting for. Achieving equality has been our goal since the first day we began publishing. We’re glad when we get a chance to share a glimpse into the lives of those to whom it means the most, and  we’re glad when we can share with our readers an opportunity to help those who need it.

  

I hope to never forget the look on my fiancé’s face (let’s call him MW, Mr.Wonderful,) when he called his mother to tell her I had proposed. It was Christmas of last year, our very first together, and I had been wanting to ask for months. Every other sap will understand that I held off because I wanted to create something special; some magical memory that will last us until the end of time. So, I waited. I waited until he was opening his last gift that rainy morning beside our tiny, table-top Christmas tree, surrounded by wrapping paper, holiday songs in the air, and Santa hats on our heads.

As he opened the biggest box it gave way to a smaller one inside. And again. And again. Until the last one was a familiar looking box from Tiffiany’s. Then, when he opened it to discover that it was empty, he looked up to find me on my knees (I was shaking too hard to balance on just one) with the ring in my hand.

After we held each other for what felt like an hour, it was time to make phone calls. I had only met Mr. Wonderful’s family once, but I had kept in touch with his mom, and had called her recently to tell her I was going to pop the question. I secretly knew that she supported the idea. I also knew all about their family history.

I knew that after MW told his parents as a teenager that he was gay, his mother later came to him to say that his example gave her the strength to ask his father for a divorce. She told him that she hadn’t been happy in a long time, and if her son was brave enough to choose happiness even if it seemed scary and difficult, she could too.

Mr.Wonderful had grown up accustomed to disappointment (something that breaks my heart to think about.) He is the oldest of seven kids. With limited resources, he was constantly teased for being poor, having a family on welfare, not having nice clothes, and driving a car that “won clunker of the month every month of high school.” Additionally, he was also teased mercilessly his entire life. Being called names and getting hit and punished by peers for being perceived as gay was an everyday routine. To this day, when someone wrongs MW, I can see how part of him feels like there’s nothing that can be done, or that no one really cares when he is mistreated or under-appreciated. It just became easier as he was growing up to not make a fuss.

His parents had met when they were teenagers and had him young. It caused a rift between his mom and grandmother, and though there was love in his house among himself, his siblings, and parents, things were frequently estranged with extended family. Someone was always not being spoken to. When he came out of the closet, he was afraid it would be him. To this day, his being gay is an issue between his father and hm. They speak. Just not often, and not about much.

I mention all this because when, on that Christmas morning, MW picked up the phone to call his mother, even though she loved and supported him, he was afraid. It was visible. He was used to people in his family finding reasons to keep others at a distance, and he was terrified of the same fate. He called her first because he felt that of all the calls to his family members, the one to his mother would go better than those to his father and grandparents.

As he began to speak, his breathing accelerated, and he got flush. Then, as he listened for his mother’s response… he smiled! He exhaled a giant sigh of relief, and the happiness on his face lit up and shined brighter than any twinkle coming from the Christmas tree. His mother was thrilled, and so were all six of his siblings who were celebrating together around the table nearly 1,000 miles away.

Now, let’s jump forward to now. Our wedding planning is in full swing, and we are less than five months to the big day. His father is iffy at best on attendance, and his grandmother (someone who is not being spoken to by anyone in the family other than Mr. Wonderful) has told him that our getting married is “the same as committing a robbery,” and “I can’t witness that.”

In an effort to reduce costs to our already micro-budgeted wedding, we have decided against flowers, possibly a DJ, are not having the events in our beloved-but-overpriced New York City. We have entered several contests (I won a free suit!), but no matter how hard we pinch pennies, there is still one cost that I can’t manage: getting Mr.Wonderful’s mom, brothers and sisters to the wedding.

His mother, a woman who, it seems, cannot get a break, doesn’t have much money to begin with. On top of it, she has had a plethora of recent medical issues resulting in hospitalization, was forced to replace her car, and is working two to three jobs at any given time to try to house, feed, and clothe her six remaining kids. She is so freaking excited about our wedding, and tells me on what have now become frequent phone chats that they have started a change jar to pay for travel. I can hear her smile when she talks about the wedding, but a “change jar”? Really? I cannot imagine not having them there. Not only are they the most important people in the world to my fiancé, but they are the only family he has that have supported us without hesitation or condition.

So, it is with great humility that I am asking for the aid and kindness of strangers; people that I am hoping understand what it is to want to celebrate love and happiness with those who are closest to you, and how much more important it becomes when that love and support is only available to you from a select few people because your heart takes you in a direction that some may not give approval. I want to, yet again, make a beautiful memory.

My goal of $5,000 is to pay for the flights, as well as room and board of seven people; my fiancé’s mom, and his six younger siblings (all but one still live at home). The amount feels high, but there are no extravagant expenditures being considered. Only the bare minimum for attendance. Frankly, I am embarrassed to have to ask for help because I cannot provide for my family, but I know that in this instance my pride is not what’s important. The thing that matters more is that my in-laws be able to stand with us, in the names of pride, love, and family, on our wedding day.

If any of you would pass along this link and tell your friends about this article, or donate to the cause, that would mean to absolute world to me: www.fundly.com/helpmyfianceesfamilyattendourwedding

Thank you to all who have read this far. May you all know the beautiful feeling of having people in your life who want to go beyond what seems possible to try and make you feel special.

Editor’s note: Ivan is my fiancé’s friend, and a friend of mine.

Ivan and his fiancé are both 20-something go-getters in New York City trying to make everything they can from the lives they were given. Both actors, they also work various day jobs that they feel fortunate to have, and try to spend as much time as possible taking advantage of their wonderful surroundings with friends (as long as it doesn’t dent the wedding fund!) Favorite pastimes include board games, creating song parodies, and watching reality TV competitions online. They met in December of 2010 while rehearsing for the national tour of a children’s musical based on a popular book series that happens to be Ivan’s childhood favorite. 
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‘I Have a Bucket of Water’: Dems to Save Johnson’s Job Over GOPer Who Wants ‘World to Burn’

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April 16, 2024

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Mike Johnson can count on at least some Democrats to save his job after a second Republican announced he supports U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s efforts to remove the embattled GOP Speaker of the House. Weeks ago Greene filed a motion to “vacate the chair,” which she can call up at any time to force a vote that could lead to Johnson losing his gavel.

“I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I’m cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate,” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) declared late Tuesday morning. “He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker.”

“You’re not going to be the speaker much longer,” Massie directly told Speaker Johnson, Politico reports, citing two lawmakers in the room.

Asked by a social media user, “What was the straw that broke the Camel’s Back? FISA? Foreign War Funding? Spending more than Nancy Pelosi? All of the above?” Massie replied: “All of the above. This camel has a pallet of bricks.”

Like many far-right House Republicans, Massie is furious Speaker Johnson plans to put on the floor foreign aid and national security legislation to support Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan this week, only after Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend forced his hand.

“Friday, we have one less Republican in the majority as Rep Gallagher leaves instead of finishing his term,” Massie wrote earlier Tuesday morning, referring to exiting U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI). “As a going away gift, Speaker Johnson plans to force the senate to take up Gallagher’s bill to ban tiktok and give Presidential power to ban websites.”

READ MORE: ‘Something’s Fishy Here’: Trump’s Latest $175 Million Bond Filings Questioned by Experts

“But still no border,” Massie lamented, referring to Republicans’ top priority after Donald Trump made clear he will campaign on an anti-immigrant platform and urged Republicans to block bipartisan legislation to fund additional border security.

(President Joe Biden and Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer supported the Senate’s bipartisan bill, which would have provided aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and a massive increase in border security. It was killed in the Senate after Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell pulled his support in response to Trump’s remarks.)

Congresswoman Greene, who was accused by U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz last week of not having enough votes to “rename a post office,” much less unseat Speaker Johnson, responded to Massie’s remarks:

“Johnson is the Deep State Speaker of the House funding the Democrat’s agenda in an omnibus, blocking warrant requirements for FISA, this week ramming through billions for Ukraine, and now this after allowing Gallagher to leave his district without representation. Can’t continue.”

She also posted Massie’s signature signing onto her Motion to Vacate.

In a show of support for Johnson, last week Donald Trump held a joint press conference with the embattled Speaker, during which both attacked immigrants and Johnson vowed legislation to ban non-citizens from voting. It is already a federal felony for non-citizens to vote.

CNN’s Manu Raju reports, “after Gallagher resigns — Johnson would almost certainly need Democrats to save his job if the motion to oust him comes up for a vote. Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz says he would save Mike Johnson’s job if MTG [Marjorie Taylor Greene] brings motion to oust him.  Others like Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi also said they would vote to save Johnson  ‘Democrats don’t even let her rename post offices, I’m not gonna let her make a motion to vacate,’ Moskowitz told me.”

Moskowitz responded, saying: “My position hasn’t changed. Massie wants the world to burn, I won’t stand by and watch. I have a bucket of water.”

READ MORE: ‘Scared to Death’: GOP Ex-Congressman Brings Hammer Down on ‘Weak’ Trump
 

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‘Something’s Fishy Here’: Trump’s Latest $175 Million Bond Filings Questioned by Experts

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April 16, 2024

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Attorneys for Donald Trump waited until less than two hours before midnight Monday to file revisions to the ex-president’s $175 million bond for the judgment in his civil fraud case after New York State Attorney General Letitia James questioned the validity of his first bond. Legal experts are now questioning details of the new bond filings. Some suggest a portion of the $175 million might also currently be in use to secure other debts or obligations.

After Trump was found liable for manipulation of his net worth in the civil business fraud case and ordered to pay a $354.9 million penalty plus interest, he was required to post bond to ensure the people of the State of New York would receive $454.2 million if his appeal is unsuccessful.

“The judge said that the former president’s ‘complete lack of contrition’ bordered on pathological,” The New York Times reported two months ago.

Trump’s attorneys later declared it impossible for him to come up with a bond of that amount, and an appeals court drastically reduced the required bond amount to $175 million.

READ MORE: ‘Your Client Is a Criminal Defendant’: Judge Denies Trump Request to Skip Trial for SCOTUS

After 10 PM Monday night, ahead of the midnight deadline, attorneys for Donald Trump in court filings said the $175 million bond is secured, and is tied to a Trump account at Charles Schwab that has over $175 million in cash, CNN reports. The filing states the California company securing the bond, Knight Specialty Insurance Company (KSIC),  has administrative access to it and can pay out the $175 million if needed.

Trump’s attorneys “asked the judge to set aside the attorney general’s challenge to the bond and award him costs and fees.”

Professor of law Andrew Weissmann, a frequent MSNBC legal analyst and former Dept. of Justice official, is raising questions.

“Something’s fishy here,” he wrote late Monday night. “If Trump has $175M free and clear, why not just directly post it and not pay a fee for a surety bond? And the agreement does not give Knight a lien on the account as collateral and seems to afford Trump a two-day window to dissipate the account.”

A screenshot of a portion of the filing, posted by MSNBC’s Lisa Rubin, states, “Schwab, as custodian of the account, has acknowledged KSIC’s right to exercise control over the account within two business days of receiving notice from KSIC of KSIC’s intent to activate the control.”

Attorney and journalist Seth Abramson in a series of posts on social media claimed, “so this is looking very bad for Donald Trump. He says in his Monday night filing that the Schwab account has $175.3 million *in total*, so *if* Axos Bank is depending on that same account for a (semi-)liquid $100M in collateral on another loan, this bond filing is DOA.”

After asking, “Is Trump double-dipping?” Abramson posted more details.

NCRM has not verified those claims.

Attorney Lupe B. Luppen adds, “it took about ten seconds from opening the account security agreement to find a significant drafting error, which makes the signature page look like it belongs to a different agreement (DJT Jr’s attestation identifies the wrong secured party—a Chubb co.).”

READ MORE: ‘Scared to Death’: GOP Ex-Congressman Brings Hammer Down on ‘Weak’ Trump

Late Monday night on MSNBC Weissmann “expressed incredulity,” as Mediaite reported, saying of Trump and his bond: “It is just so remarkable. This is somebody who has been found by two juries to have defamed somebody, who has been found to have sexually assaulted somebody – the company of which has been found criminally liable for a decade-long tax conspiracy, criminally, and has been found to have committed fraud, has to post a bond of $175 million, is on trial starting today for a criminal case involving 34 felonies.”

“And he can’t find a frigging company that is registered in New York? Meaning, that they are licensed to do business here, which it appears they are not, and that has the wherewithal to pay the money because remember, the whole point is that you either have to put up the money now or you have to find a bond company that is sufficiently liquid that the plaintiff can look to that bond company if at the end of the day the judgment is affirmed.”

Attorney General Letitia James earlier had alleged KSIC, the company that secured the bond, was not registered to do so in New York. Experts questioned the language of that filing, claiming it did not require the company that secured the bond to actually pay out $175 million should Trump lose his appeal and be ordered to pay the full amount.

Calling it a “bizarre contract,” earlier this month The Daily Beast reported, “the legal document from Knight Specialty Insurance Company doesn’t actually promise it will pay the money if the former president loses his $464 million bank fraud case on appeal. Instead, it says Trump will pay, negating the whole point of an insurance company guarantee.”

READ MORE: ‘Not a Good Start’: Judge Slams Trump’s ‘Offensive’ Recusal Claims as a ‘Loose End’

 

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‘Your Client Is a Criminal Defendant’: Judge Denies Trump Request to Skip Trial for SCOTUS

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April 15, 2024

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Barely hours after New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan gave Donald Trump the same set of rules requiring him to appear in court as all other criminal defendants, the ex-president’s attorney requested his client be allowed to skip trial next Thursday to attend the U.S. Supreme Court arguments on his immunity claim.

“If you do not show up there will be an arrest,” Judge Merchan had told Trump Monday at the start of his criminal trial, according to MSNBC’s Jesse Rodriguez. Trump is facing 34 felony charges for falsification of business records related to his alleged attempts to cover up hush money payments in an effort to protect his 2016 presidential campaign.

Judge Merchan had read from the same rules that apply to all defendants, but right at the end of day one of trial Trump attorney Todd Blanche made his request.

MSNBC’s Lisa Rubin reports, “after the potential jurors are gone, the fireworks start after Blanche asks Merchan to allow Trump to attend the SCOTUS argument on presidential immunity next Thursday, 4/25.”

READ MORE: ‘What Will Happen in the Situation Room?’: Trump Appearing to Sleep in Court Fuels Concerns

“The Manhattan DA’s office opposes the request, saying they have accommodated Trump enough,” MSNBC’s Katie Phang adds, citing Rubin’s reporting.

Judge Merchan “acknowledges a Supreme Court argument is a ‘big deal,’ but says that the jury’s time is a big deal too. Blanche says they don’t think they should be here at all, suggesting that the trial never should have been scheduled during campaign season.”

“That comment appeared to trigger Merchan, who asked, voice dripping with incredulity, ‘You don’t think you should be here at all?'” Rubin writes.

“He then softly asks Blanche to move along from that objection, on which he has already ruled. Merchan then got stern, ruling that Trump is not required to be at SCOTUS but is required, by law, to attend his criminal trial here.”

“Your client is a criminal defendant in New York. He is required to be here. He is not required to be in the Supreme Court. I will see him here next week,” Judge Merchan told Blanche, CBS News’ Scott MacFarlane reported.

That was not the only request Trump’s attorneys made to have their client excused from the criminal proceedings.

Lawfare managing editor Tyler McBrien reports, “Blanche says that the campaign has taken pains to schedule events on Wednesdays and asks Merchan if Trump be excused from any hearings that take place on Wednesdays, when the jury is in recess. Merchan says he will take this into consideration.”

READ MORE: ‘Scared to Death’: GOP Ex-Congressman Brings Hammer Down on ‘Weak’ Trump

Blanche also asked Judge Merchan to allow Trump to skip trial to attend his son Barron’s high school graduation. While the judge has yet to rule, Trump told reporters at the end of day one of trial, “it looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation.”

The judge told Trump, “I cannot rule on those dates at this time.”

But Trump told reporters, “It looks like the judge isn’t going to allow me to escape this scam, it’s a scam trial.”

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