John Bolton Says He’s Prepared to Testify in Trump Impeachment Trial

Former national security adviser John Bolton released a statement on Monday morning saying he’s prepared to testify in the Trump impeachment trial before the U.S. Senate.

Bolton’s statement in full:

During the present impeachment controversy, I have tried to meet my obligations both as a citizen and as former National Security Advisor. My colleague, Dr. Charles Kupperman, faced with a House committee subpoena on the one hand, and a Presidential directive not to testify on the other, sought final resolution of this Constitutional conflict from the Federal judiciary. After my counsel informed the House committee that I too would seek judicial resolution of these Constitutional issues, the committee chose not to subpoena me. Nevertheless, I publicly resolved to be guided by the outcome of Dr. Kupperman’s case.

But both the President and the House of Representatives opposed his effort on jurisdictional grounds, and each other on the merits. The House committee went so far as to withdraw its subpoena to Dr. Kupperman in a deliberate attempt to moot the case and deprive the court of jurisdiction. Judge Richard Leon, in a carefully reasoned opinion on December 30, held Dr. Kupperman’s case to be moot, and therefore did not reach the separation-of-powers issues.

The House has concluded its Constitutional responsibility by adopting Articles of Impeachment related to the Ukraine matter. It now falls to the Senate to fulfill its Constitutional obligation to try impeachments, and it does not appear possible that a final judicial resolution of the still-unanswered Constitutional questions can be obtained before the Senate acts.

Accordingly, since my testimony is once again at issue, I have had to resolve the serious competing issues as best I could, based on careful consideration and study. I have concluded that, if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony, I am prepared to testify.

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John Bolton Says He’s Prepared to Testify in Trump Impeachment Trial

Former 2020 Candidate Julian Castro Endorses Elizabeth Warren

The former HUD Secretary said he was impressed by his opponent’s drive to “make sure America’s promise will be there for everyone.”

www.advocate.com/politics/2020/1/06/former-2020-candidate-julian-castro-endorses-elizabeth-warren

Man sentenced to life in prison for raping dozens of men

A man has been sentenced to life in prison for raping and sexually abusing 48 men at his home in Manchester, England.

Reynhard Sinaga, 36, was a mature student from Indonesia. He moved to the UK in 2007 at the age of 24.

Sinaga lured men to his flat by presenting himself as a “Good Samaritan,” according to prosecutors at his trial. However, once there, he would drug them, sexual assault and rape them.

He would film the attacks on his mobile phones. Footage clearly shows many of the men were asleep and snoring while Sinaga raped them. One of the attacks lasted for up to eight hours.

Police found video evidence of 136 instances of rape on two mobile phones. They have still to identify another 70 of his victims. They believe Sinaga may have abused 200 men, but the number could be even higher.

Related: Boy bander says he was raped by manager “dozens of times,” made into “sexual plaything” for execs

There had been a media blackout on Sinaga’s trials, but that came to an end today when he was sentenced. He must serve a minimum of 30 years, reports The Guardian.

It revealed that Sinaga has already faced three earlier trials (which the media was not allowed to report upon in case it influenced subsequent jury). At the end of the first two trials last spring, he was sentenced to 88 concurrent life sentences and must serve a minimum of 20 years for attacks on 25 of his victims. His third and fourth trials were for a further 23 identified victims.

Sinaga claimed his victims were acting out a sexual fantasy of playing dead during intercourse. Prosecutors blasted this explanation as “ludicrous”.

Sinaga targetted mainly young, heterosexual men who were typically out at the weekend enjoying a night out in the city. Most were in their late teens and 20s.

He would prowl the bars and clubs of Manchester, looking for men who, usually drunk, appeared to have lost their friends or partners. Sinaga would suggest they come back to his flat to have a few more drinks or sleep on the floor.

Sinaga kept trophies from many of his victims and would search for them on social media. He even boasted about some of his crimes, texting one friend about a victim and saying: “He was straight in 2014. 2015 is his breakthrough to the gay world hahaha.”

Related: Taxi driver and married father of five drives intoxicated passenger to abandoned farm to rape him

Sinaga’s crime spree came to an end when one of his victims woke up during an attack. He was able to escape and call the police, who arrested Sinaga.

They have never found the drugs he used to knock out his victims, but believe it was probably GHB.

Many of Sinaga’s victims were unaware they had been raped until contacted by police, who had identified them from Sinaga’s digital videos and searches.

Some testified to the devastating impact his actions had had on them, with some left suicidal.

One recalled the last thing he remembers before becoming unconscious was showing Sinaga a pregnancy scan of his unborn child.

After sentencing, Ian Rushton, from the Crown Prosecution Service, called Sinaga “the most prolific rapist in British legal history” and possibly “in the world.”

Judge Suzanne Goddard said Sinaga had shown no remorse for his crimes and was a “dangerous, deeply disturbed and perverted individual with no sense of reality.

“In my judgment, you are a highly dangerous, cunning and deceitful individual who will never be safe to be released.”

She went on to note, “One of the victims in their victim personal statement described you as a monster. The scale of offending suggests this is an accurate description.”

www.queerty.com/man-sentenced-life-prison-raping-dozens-men-20200106?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Julián Castro Endorses Elizabeth Warren for President, Will Appear at Campaign Event: WATCH

Former Housing Secretary Julián Castro, who dropped out of the 2020 presidential race last week, has endorsed Elizabeth Warren in a video posted to Twitter.

Said Castro in the video: “There’s one candidate I see who’s unafraid to fight like hell to make sure America’s promise will be there for everyone. Who will make sure that no matter where you live in America or where your family came from in the world, you have a path to opportunity too. That’s why I’m proud to endorse Elizabeth Warren for President.”

Castro will be with Warren at her Brooklyn campaign event Tuesday night, according to CNN. Could a Warren-Castro ticket be on the horizon?

The post Julián Castro Endorses Elizabeth Warren for President, Will Appear at Campaign Event: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Julián Castro Endorses Elizabeth Warren for President, Will Appear at Campaign Event: WATCH

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: January 6, 2019

YOU CANNOT ERASE US. TRUMP-PENCE REMOVING LGBTQ PEOPLE FROM FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND PROTECTIONS: “Departmental mission statements and guidance documents do set a tone for employees and for overall operations,” said HRC Associate Legal Director Robin Maril. “Removing these protections sends a dangerous signal to workers and supervisors that non-discrimination protections are no longer a priority.” More from HuffPost and NBC.

��Yet again, the Trump-Pence administration is attempting to erase LGBTQ people from federal programs and protections.��

Our message is this: You cannot erase us.t.co/Tavh2Tab5C

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 2, 2020

THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ANNOUNCES SPLIT OVER ACCEPTANCE OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND LGBTQ CLERGY: “The United Methodist Church’s decision to split, while a result of the denomination’s anti-LGBTQ posture, is an opportunity for the Church to make amends and reconcile with its LGBTQ family,” said HRC Religion and Faith Program Director Michael Vazquez (@mvsebastian). “We honor the work of LGBTQ Methodists who have fought and worked for reform. Ultimately, the Church’s decision to split leaves many LGBTQ Methodists who want to be fully included in the life of the Church in limbo, trying to determine their place in a Church that has still not embraced them.” More from Washington Blade and CNN.

The United Methodist Church’s decision to split leaves out LGBTQ Methodists who want to be fully included in the Church.

But it’s clear that LGBTQ Methodists and allies will continue to work for inclusion–not in spite of their faith but because of it. t.co/1vt9TgrC2B

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 3, 2020

MONDAY MUST-READ — NEW WILLIAMS INSTITUTE STUDY FINDS THAT LGBTQ PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HIGHER RATES OF POVERTY THAN STRAIGHT, CISGENDER PEOPLE IN A MAJORITY OF U.S. STATES: In the South, 24% of LGBT adults are living in poverty, followed by the Midwest (23%), the West (22%), and the Northeast (18%). The study looked at data from the 35 states that collect data about LGBTQ people. Read more from The Williams Institute and Dawn Ennis (@lifeafterdawn) at Forbes. 

PROCESS FOR UPDATING BIRTH CERTIFICATES IN COLORADO SIMPLIFIED THANKS TO JUDE’S LAW: The law, which went into effect last week, removes costly barriers from the process, including required surgery and appearing before a judge. More from Colorado Politics.

HRC MOURNS YAHIRA NESBY, BLACK TRANS WOMAN KILLED IN BROOKLYN: Nesby was a loved member of the New York ball scene, and a member of the House of Chanel. Her friends and family called Nesby “a good spirit,” “genuinely good people,” and said “Every time [Nesby was] around [she] put a smile on my face and others.” More from HRC. 

HRC MOURNS DUSTIN PARKER, TRANS MAN KILLED IN OKLAHOMA: Parker, a father and husband, was a founding member of Oklahomans for Equality-McAlester Chapter: Southeastern Equality, a local LGBTQ organization. The community gathered at a vigil to celebrate his life on Friday, Jan. 3. More from HRC. 

• HRC is also closely monitoring the death of a transgender woman in Washington, D.C. on December 29. Police have not released her name, as they are waiting to notify the next of kin.

FOUR MEN WHO ATTACKED SAME-SEX COUPLE WHO WERE HOLDING HANDS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN WASHINGTON STATE: More from LGBTQ Nation. 

• Lesbian LGBTQ activist Tammie Willis was also reportedly attacked in her home earlier in December. More from Metro Weekly. 

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

CONGRATS TO THE LGBTQ AND ALLIED GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD WINNERS: HRC congratulates Elton John (@eltonofficial), Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) and Awkwafina (@awkwafina) on their awards! See the full list of winners here. 

• Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) also received the Carol Burnett Award at the Golden Globes last night. More from HRC. 

Kate McKinnon gets emotional at #GoldenGlobes honoring Ellen DeGeneres….and we did too. pic.twitter.com/HZEKmN1K3I

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 6, 2020

NETFLIX PICKS UP SECOND SEASON OF RYAN O’CONNELL’S (@ryanoconn) GROUNDBREAKING SERIES “SPECIAL”: It’s vital that we continue to lift up the voices of LGBTQ people and those living with disabilities. More from the Washington Blade. 

INDYA MOORE VOICES NEW “STEVEN UNIVERSE” CHARACTER, SHEP: More from Out Magazine. 

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM SOCCER STARS ALI KRIEGER (@alikrieger) AND ASHLYN HARRIS (@Ashlyn_Harris) MARRIED AT THE END OF 2019: Congrats to the happy couple! More from Outsports. 

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

HRC PRESIDENT ALPHONSO DAVID (@AlphonsoDavid) MET WITH LGBTQ ACTIVISTS IN GHANA: More from HRC. 

Powerful meeting in Accra today with leaders from @LGBTRightsGhana and @deray as we learned more about the struggles facing LGBTQ people in Ghana and discussed ways we can work together to advance our global movement for full equality. pic.twitter.com/eLMJKcIesu

— Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid) December 31, 2019

.S. RECALLS ZAMBIAN AMBASSADOR DANIEL FOOTE AFTER HIS DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE: Foote had said he was “personally horrified” by the harsh sentence imposed on a same-sex couple. More from The New York Times and Metro Weekly. 

CHILE’S NEW TRANSGENDER RIGHTS LAW CAME INTO EFFECT LAST MONTH: Read more from the Washington Blade. 

CANADIAN TRANSGENDER ACTIVIST JULIE BERMAN WAS KILLED IN TORONTO LAST MONTH: More from CNN. 

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

INSIDER profiles 20 openly LGBTQ professional athletes 

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

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