#turnOUT Live Blog: Election Night 2016

8:03pm EST: 

Congratulations Senator-Elect @VanHollenForMD! #ElectionDay #turnOUT pic.twitter.com/mQ6GboJobb

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) November 9, 2016

8:02pm EST: 

Congratulations @SenBlumenthal on your re-election! #ElectionDay #turnOUT pic.twitter.com/CeIemVwNWn

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) November 9, 2016

8:01pm EST: CNN has called the race for Hillary Clinton in Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. CNN has called Oklahoma and Mississippi for Donald Trump. Clinton has 68 electoral votes to Trump’s 48.

8:00pm EST: Polls in 16 more states plus D.C. have closed: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Alabama, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee. 

7:31pm EST: CNN has called West Virginia for Donald Trump. He now has 24 electoral votes to Clinton’s 3.

7:30pm EST: The polls just closed in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.

7:25pm EST: 

7:10pm EST: Remember, if the polls close & you’re already in line — you can still vote. Let’s #turnOUT for HillaryClinton & pro-equality candidates!

7:04pm EST:

Congratulations Senator @PatrickLeahy on your re-election! #ElectionDay #turnOUT pic.twitter.com/XHVTMmGc7n

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) November 9, 2016

7:01 pm EST: CNN has called Vermont and Indiana for Clinton, and Kentucky and Indiana for Trump. Trump shas 19 electoral votes, Clinton has 3.

7:00 pm EST: Polls have just closed in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia and Vermont! News outlets should be calling results shortly.

6:00 pm EST: The first polls have closed in parts of Kentucky and Indiana. HRC’s rapid response team will be here all night to provide breaking news on all things Election Night!

www.hrc.org/blog/turnout-live-blog-election-night-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Transgender Woman Shot to Death in Virginia

The death of Noony Norwood is the 24th reported murder of a trans person in 2016.

www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/11/08/transgender-woman-shot-death-virginia

Twinks For Trump And 7 Other Nutty Moments From This Crazy Campaign

While we anxiously await tonight’s election results, it’s worth reminding ourselves just why 2016 will rank as one of the looniest election cycles of all time.

There’s plenty to choose from, but here’s a look at just eight of the craziest moments to come out of the presidential campaign that seemed like it would never end.

1. The Ted-Cruz-in-drag lookalike

Searcy Hayes had her 15 minutes of fame when someone noticed her uncanny resemblance to Ted Cruz. As an added bonus after the resemblance went viral, Hayes considered an offer to star in an adult video. “We want to buy a truck,” she said.

2. Donald Trump tries to kiss Mike Pence

Trump was so smitten by Pence’s performance at the Republican convention that he tried to show his appreciation with a kiss. Homophobe that he is, Pence dodged it, opting instead to shake Trump’s (tiny) hand.

3. Marco Rubio’s foam party

It’s not at all clear from the photos whether Rubio attended the gay foam party in question. However, it might explain why he was willing to speculate about the size of Donald Trump’s penis. 

4. Bernie Sanders erotic fan fic

Yes, a 75-year-old Socialist from Vermont can be the subject of intense lust. At least in print. 

5. Ted Cruz’s Nick Jonas crush

Cruz’s campaign put out a cartoon of the candidate in which the Texan looked suspiciously like pro-gay lust object Nick Jonas, proving that even the cartoon Cruz is divorced from reality.

6. Trump’s British character witness

In an effort to dispute a story about Trump groping a woman on an airplane, Anthony Gilberthorpe claimed he was there and the incident never happened. Gilberthorpe’s creds include suing a newspaper for a story about him for which he was the source and more recent claims that he procured the “prettiest rent boys” for Tory politicians, all of whom were conveniently dead.

7. The Trumpkin

Halloween can be scary. Just consider how these pumpkins were transformed into Donald Trump. 

8. Twinks for Trump

What started as a parody account quickly morphed into a straight-faced (so to speak) love letter to the Donald, complete with twinks wearing Make America Great Again caps, the ultimate turnoff.

www.queerty.com/twinks-trump-7-nutty-moments-crazy-campaign-20161108?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Calum McSwiggan Pleads Guilty to Vandalism, Still Denies Faking a Hate Crime

Gay vlogger Calum McSwiggan pled guilty to felony vandalism on Tuesday in a case brought against him that stems from an incident back in June.

As you’ll recall, McSwiggan claimed he was the victim of an anti-gay hate crime that happened outside popular West Hollywood gay nightclub The Abbey. McSwiggan posted a selfie the day after the alleged altercation showing himself in a hospital bed and in seemingly rough shape. He wrote at the time, “With three broken teeth and six stitches in my forehead, I’ve never felt so terrified to be a gay man in the public eye.”

However, police denied that McSwiggan had been the victim of a bias-motivated attack and said many of McSwiggan’s injuries were self-inflicted and sustained while he was in custody. Police also said that when they encountered McSwiggan they found he had vandalized a car he claimed belonged to his alleged assailants. Police were unable, however, to find evidence that McSwiggan was attacked.

Subsequently, McSwiggan was with filing a false report and vandalism.

RELATED: Calum McSwiggan Denies Making False Report of Hate Crime to Police

KTLA reports: 

Calum McSwiggan — a London resident known by thousands of fans for his YouTube channel on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues — previously pled not guilty to a June 29 charge that he filed a false report when he told sheriff’s deputies he had been beaten two days before, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

But prosecutors say McSwiggan, 26, actually damaged the mirror and bumper of a car before falsely claiming he was beaten by the vehicle’s owner and two other men, with whom he had engaged in an altercation outside The Abbey. He was sentenced to three years felony probation and 52 anger management counseling sessions and ordered to pay $7,000 in restitution, authorities said.

McSwiggan continues to insist that he did not fabricate a hate crime and that the vehicle he damaged belonged to a man he says attacked him.

Wrote McSwiggan on Twitter,

“Five months ago I was accused of the crime of falsifying a police report after I was assaulted outside a nightclub – a crime I didn’t commit. After five months of investigation this charge has finally been dropped. I never lied and I’m grateful that the world can now see that. After the assault I made the mistake of damaging the culprit’s car. I regret this & have accepted the consequences & paid for the damages.Now I’m headed home to the UK to see my friends and get on with my life. I’m so grateful to all of you for your continued support”

After five months of investigation this charge has finally been dropped. I never lied and I’m grateful that the world can now see that.

— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) November 8, 2016

After the assault I made the mistake of damaging the culprit’s car. I regret this & have accepted the consequences & paid for the damages.

— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) November 8, 2016

Now I’m headed home to the UK to see my friends and get on with my life. I’m so grateful to all of you for your continued support 👍🏼 x

— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) November 8, 2016

The post Calum McSwiggan Pleads Guilty to Vandalism, Still Denies Faking a Hate Crime appeared first on Towleroad.

Calum McSwiggan Pleads Guilty to Vandalism, Still Denies Faking a Hate Crime

17 Election Images That Can't Be Unseen

www.advocate.com/election/2016/11/08/17-election-images-cant-be-unseen

PHOTOS: 14 Hilarious Election Day Memes To Help Get You Through The Day

At long last, Election Day is here! We’ve finally made it, folks. In just a few short hours we will know the fate of our country. Here’s hoping we make it!

Related: Jenifer Lewis Wants You To “Get Your Ass Out And Vote” In Amazing New Election Day Jingle

To help pass the time as we sit and wait for the polls to close and the results to trickle in, we’ve scoured Instagram for some of the best election day memes.

Scroll down for our favorite ones… and don’t forget to vote!

www.queerty.com/photos-14-hilarious-election-day-memes-help-get-day-20161108?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Judge Denies Trump’s Challenge to Early Voting in Heavily Latino Nevada County – WATCH

A district court judge in Nevada has rejected a suit from the Donald Trump campaign leveled against heavily Latino Clark County over alleged voting “anomalies.”

Trump’s lawyers claimed that voters were illegally allowed to vote on Friday after the polls were set to close, an action they said was coordinated by poll workers in conjunction with Democratic “activists.”

The AP reports: 

Judge Gloria Sturman ruled the Trump campaign missed a step in filing the suit and should have gone through Nevada’s Secretary of State first.

She also expressed concerns about releasing the identities of poll workers and exposing information in secret ballots, if the lawsuit went forward.

The county told the judge it preserved all the information the Trump campaign had said it wanted retained in the first place.

The Las Vegas Sun adds: 

“The secretary of state is who tells us what she needs to do any investigation … you’ve jumped ahead a step,” Sturman said.

In the complaint filed overnight, the Trump campaign alleged that, in keeping polls open late Friday, Gloria’s actions “were not random and neutral in their effect, but very much appear to have been intentionally coordinated with Democratic activists in order to skew the vote unlawfully in favor of Democratic candidates.” […]

Long lines kept polls open past the 7 p.m.posted closing time on Friday, the final day of early voting in Nevada, at sites where officials say the last voter cast a ballot after 10 p.m. An attorney for [Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe] Glorio told Sturman that, unlike on Election Day, polls during early voting can stay open until there are no more people in line.

Trump’s lawyers say they will appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Check out amazing video of Judge Sturman in today’s hearing expressing concern over the Trump campaign’s desire to release the name of poll workers–an action that would no doubt subject them to harassment.

Judge Denies Trump’s Request In Lawsuit Challenging Nevada Early-Vote Process t.co/MEz0g4BqBe pic.twitter.com/l615c2LZzi

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) November 8, 2016

Nevada judge brutally turns down Trump campaign’s request to make the names of poll workers public t.co/IMZylJe2CA pic.twitter.com/aSg62GU3Ox

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 8, 2016

Developing…

The post Judge Denies Trump’s Challenge to Early Voting in Heavily Latino Nevada County – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Judge Denies Trump’s Challenge to Early Voting in Heavily Latino Nevada County – WATCH

Orlando to Buy Pulse Nightclub and Install Permanent Memorial

The site has already been visited by so many, and now it will forever be a place to remember.

www.advocate.com/politics/2016/11/08/orlando-buy-pulse-nightclub-and-install-permanent-memorial