News
116 Lawmakers Call for End to Transgender Military Service Ban
116 members of Congress sent a letter Wednesday to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Attorney General William Barr to call for the elimination of the ban on open transgender military service. This follows the June 15, 2020 Supreme Court ruling that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ people from workplace discrimination. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) spearheaded the initiative.
“This policy is an attack on transgender service members who are risking their lives to serve our country and it should be reversed immediately,” DelBene said.
On April 12, 2019, the Trump administration banned transgender individuals from serving openly in the military. The discriminatory policy denies transgender people the ability to enlist in the military and puts transgender troops at risk of being discharged for living openly. It also denies them transition-related health services.
“In light of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling…we urge the Department of Defense (DOD) to immediately update its policies to eliminate the ban on open transgender military service,” lawmakers wrote in the letter. “Additionally, to prevent further harm to transgender service members, we urge the DOD to instruct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to negotiate the end to litigation challenging the ban.”
“It’s past time for the Trump administration to end its ban on transgender troops serving openly,” said Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “The policy is hateful and discriminatory, and puts at risk our country’s national security by purging brave transgender people from the military despite their honorable service to the American people. The administration must move quickly to right this wrong and protect transgender members of the military.”
“It’s crucial that the Department of Defense remove this unconstitutional transgender military ban and ensure any qualified patriot is able to serve,” said Modern Military Association of America Interim Executive Director Jennifer Dane. “Thousands of transgender service members have already more than proven themselves with honor and distinction, and this discriminatory barrier that has nothing to do with their ability to accomplish the mission must be taken down. We are thankful for Congresswoman Suzan DelBene’s leadership, and we urge the Department of Defense to take swift action.”
The transgender service ban was put in place against the recommendations of several former Surgeons General. Additionally, the country’s preeminent health care organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Medical Association, have all affirmed that transgender people can competently serve in the military.
The letter was signed by Representatives Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), Colin Allred (TX-32), Karen Bass (CA-37), Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-07), Donald S. Beyer Jr. (VA-08), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-At-large), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), Ed Case (HI-01), Sean Casten (IL-06),
A copy of the letter can be found here.
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News
COVID Knocks Kelly Loeffler Off the Campaign Trail After Mike Pence Events — 45 Days Before Georgia Runoff: Report
The eyes of the nation are on the two January 5th, 2021 runoff elections in Georgia that will decide control of the U.S. Senate.
But one of the incumbent Republicans forced into a runoff is leaving the campaign trail.
“U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s campaign said Saturday she is self-isolating after she tested positive for the coronavirus and later received an inconclusive result,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Saturday night.
“Loeffler’s spokesman Stephen Lawson said she took two COVID tests on Friday morning. He said her rapid test results were negative and that she was cleared to attend a pair of events with Vice President Mike Pence,” the newspaper noted. “He said she was informed later Friday that a PCR test came back positive and she was retested Saturday morning and the results were inconclusive.”
Republicans were notified after the positive test result.
“Though Loeffler regularly wears masks, her campaign events have often drawn large crowds where few are wearing masks and socially distancing is impossible. The campaign has notified Cotton, Pence, Perdue and other officials and staffers she came in contact with about her test results,” the newspaper reported.
Loeffler, who was appointed to the seat, is being challenged by Democrat Raphael Warnock.
President Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr. has tested positive for coronavirus.
President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, their eldest son Barron Trump, and Donald Trump, Jr.’s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle have all have coronavirus over the past few months.
Based on Bloomberg News’ Jennifer Jacobs’ reporting, it appears the elder Trump son was trying to keep his diagnosis from the public:
Confirming Bloomberg report on @DonaldJTrumpJr a spokesman says: Don tested positive at the start of the week and has been quarantining out at his cabin since the result. He’s been completely asymptomatic so far and is following all medically recommended COVID-19 guidelines.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 20, 2020
This is a breaking news and developing story.
News
Entire Giuliani Legal Team Probably Exposed to Coronavirus Say Sources Citing Trump Attorney Jenna Ellis: Axios
Axios is reporting that the “entire Giuliani-affiliated legal team was probably exposed” to coronavirus, according to sources who cite a conversation by Trump personal and campaign attorney Jenna Ellis.
“Rudy Giuliani and other key members of President Trump’s outside legal team won’t be attending today’s meeting with two Michigan lawmakers because they’ve been exposed to the coronavirus, two sources familiar with the internal discussions tell Axios,” the news outlet reports.
“It’s just a shitshow, it’s a joke,” said a Trump campaign adviser.
Axios reports that Rudy Giuliani’s son Andrew, who is a White House staffer, tested positive for coronavirus.
“One of the participants on the call said Rudy Giuliani should not attend the White House meeting because he’d surely been exposed to his son,” Axios continues. “Then Ellis, a Giuliani sidekick, said if that was the case then the entire Giuliani-affiliated legal team was probably exposed, the sources said.”
Ellis is more than just a Giuliani “sidekick.” She is the Trump campaign’s attorney and a personal attorney to President Donald Trump.
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