AT&T Admits Letting American Idol Fans Vote Against Gay Singer Adam Lambert For Free

AT&T, one of the biggest corporate sponsors of “American Idol,” influenced the outcome of this year’s competition by providing phones for free text-messaging services and lessons in casting blocks of votes at parties organized by christian Conservative fans of Kris Allen, the Arkansas singer who was the winner of the show last week.
American Idol Representatives of AT&T, whose mobile phone network is the only one that can be used to cast “American Idol” votes via text message, provided the free text-messaging services at two parties in Arkansas after the final performance episode of “American Idol” last week, according to the company and people at the events.
There were no similar efforts to provide free texting services to supporters of Adam Lambert, who finished as the runner-up to Mr. Allen.
Since then, angry supporters of Mr. Lambert have flooded online chat boards with messages claiming irregularities in the competition’s voting.
Officials of Fox Broadcasting declined to discuss the situation. In a statement issued Tuesday, a spokesman for AT&T said, “In Arkansas, we were invited to attend the local watch parties organized by the community. A few local employees brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested.”

(NYT)

Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Prop 8 Ruling

In a bold move that takes a new approach to achieving marriage equality, two attorneys who argued opposing sides of the 2000 Bush v. Gore lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court have filed a challenge to Proposition 8 in federal court.
Theodore B. Olson, the U.S. solicitor general from 2001 to 2004 under President George W. Bush, and David Boies, a high-profile trial lawyer who argued on behalf of former vice president Al Gore, filed the suit May 22 in U.S. district court on behalf of two California gay couples.
The attorneys argue that relegating same-sex couples to domestic partnerships instead of granting them full marriage rights is a violation of the equal protection and due process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Olson said he was contacted several months ago by representatives of an association called the American Foundation for Equal Rights about his willingness to represent the two couples named in the suit.
“For a long time I’ve personally felt that we are doing a grave injustice for people throughout this country by denying equality to gay and lesbian individuals,” Olson said in an interview with The Advocate. “The individuals that we represent and will be representing in this case feel they’re being denied their rights. And they’re entitled to have a court vindicate those rights.”
When pressed about his service with the Bush administration, which in 2004 endorsed an amendment to the U.S. constitution that would prohibit same-sex marriage, Olson said he was personally against the amendment at the time, though he made no public statements on the matter.
As for the timing of the suit, Olson said that recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court “make it clear that individuals are entitled to be treated equally under the Constitution. I’m reasonably confident that this is the right time for these [injustices] to be vindicated.”
Olson, Boies, and other attorneys working on the suit are being compensated by the American Foundation for Equal Rights, Olson said his law firm and others also are contributing resources pro bono.
(MN)

BREAKING NEWS: Prop 8 Is To Be Upheld!

Our source in the court says he is still 90% sure prop 8 will be upheld by the court.
Source inside court: "We are getting slammed right now, so I can't talk long , but I stand by my earlier comment." link to comments: AZIRE
UPDATE: Our source will now say he is 100% sure the ruling will be upheld- Prop 8 will stand. He has gone on to say:
Source in court: "Looking at it (prop 8) there was never really a chance."
Lee Azire: What would you say the odds are now, after telling me what you did off the record, still 90%?
Source: "I would go further and say 100%" prop 8 will stand"
(Please remember that this is from ONE source, we have not been able to get a second source.)
For Full interview from May 20, 2009 click here

Warning Issued For IML Chicago Attendees

"Unwanted" posters to help IML attendees identify anti-gay and leather-obsessed freak shows Peter LaBarbera and Matt Barber. Print these images out. Take them with you to events and the host hotel. Post them wherever you are allowed. Do NOT let LaBarbera or Barber photograph unsuspecting IML attendees. Your photos may be used against you in a vicious smear campaign. Alert event organizers if you see either of the men on these posters.
(JMG)

EXCLUSIVE: Prop 8 Ruling Rescheduled For Tuesday

What follows is a copy of our interview with a source who works in the California Supreme Court. He has been right on everything he has told us to date.

Thanks goes to Joe My God blog, who posted pictures of barricades in San Francisco, which motivated me to call an old friend of mine who works for the court. I never really expected him to share all he has. 1st post, 2nd post.

Here is the interview done at 5:20pm PCT today.

Lee Azire: I want to thank you again for agreeing to talk to me again. I know that I am pushing our friendship.

Source: Yeah, (laugh) you are. I never thought. (stops) never mind.

Lee Azire: No, go ahead.

Source: I never thought, it's just, that I would leak information from my job.

Lee Azire: Why are you? You could have said you didn't know anything when I first called you.

Source: Yes, but, you're persuasive. (chuckles)

Lee Azire: I'm not buying that, why did you tell me about the barricades when I first called you yesterday, and again this morning about the ruling being pushed back when the court realized the date was on the anniversary of the white riot?

Source:I want us (gay community) to be ready for this verdict, be prepared to react in a sane way.

Lee Azire: Why not tell a major news source? Why tell my month old blog? You could have reached a lot more people, or have you talked to others?

Source: No one else. You called at just the right time and I thought it would be over and done with today. When I told you that the barricades were for the ruling, I thought it would all be over today. And then when I came in this morning the whole situation had changed. And you called yelling that I was wrong.

Lee Azire: Alright then what happened today? Was it, as some have reported that Gavin Newsom stopped it?

Source: Definitely not. It is not done that way. The court does not take kindly to pressure, from anyone.

Lee Azire: Has there been pressure?

Source: Yeah, and then some. We get e-mails, calls, letters, it is amazing. I've been here a (redacted to protect source) and I've never seen anything this hot.

Lee Azire: Can you tell me when the court is going to rule?

Source:(long pause)

Lee Azire: Do you know?

Source: It's now scheduled for this Tuesday. Thinking today was it was after a long holiday, people would be out of town on the days prior, away from e-mails. On Tuesday, you know there would be the catch up at work after the holiday. People would have released a lot of energy you know, would be...how...less inflammatory not being on the date (White Riot) and all. But, they (the court) can change the date again if they decide to. But, I don't think they will, not again.

Lee Azire: Do you know what it will say?

Source: No, the judges keep really tight on these cases. I doubt more than a handful of clerks even know the whole verdict.

Lee Azire: Any hints?

Source: I would say from the tenor and tone at work today it was not going to go our way.

Lee Azire: Is that just a guess or do you really know?

Source: I told you I don't know! But after you've been here(redacted to protect source) you learn the feel of the place.

Lee Azire: What was the "feel" that makes you think the ruling is in support of upholding prop 8?

Source: They moved the ruling date. Some worked late into the night. Things that just aren't done unless...It is just a feel.

Lee Azire: If you had to give a percent that they uphold prop 8 what would you guess?

Source: 80% to 90% It was a long shot to begin with.

Lee Azire: Wow, that high. Would you ever consider going on the record for us, with your name?

Source: Right, I would lose my job just like that. Never. (cursing and personal conversation redacted) I'm still a little pissed at you for sharing that I worked in the court.

Lee Azire: Sorry about that, another site kept saying the information was coming from the mayor's office (Gavin Newsom's), that I wanted to distance my report from that one. Anything else I should ask, or you want to share?

Source: I just want to go home eat and watch Idol.

Lee Azire: Thank you for talking to me again.

(personal conversation and good bye)

We must let our readers know that this is from ONE source. We have no way of getting a second confirming source. But, we thought it was important to bring this to our readers.

Did California Supreme Court Pushes Back Release Of Ruling Due To Fear?

The California Supreme Court pushes back release of prop 8 decision due to twitter traffic and news reports about the date falling on White Night. Our source tells us that the court has now decided to push pack the ruling for another week or two fearing the ruling would inflame tensions if it ruled on the same date. He said, "tensions are running high and the court was asked to move date of ruling." IF that is true, it does not look good for marriage equity. It must be said that we have not been able to confirm this from another source.

California Proposition 8 Ruling Will Be Thursday According To Source

Barricades were dropped off in San Francisco's Castro District as well as in San Diego. Is this it? People are asking across Twitter and in chat rooms.
A California official told us off the record that, "Yeah, they're doing it Thursday", referring to the proposition 8 ruling from the court. We can NOT get a second source to verify this comment.
We will know around 10a.m. when the Court posts its list of rulings for the next day.
As has been pointed out by many people Thursday will also be the 30th anniversary of the White Night Riots, and Friday is Harvey Milk's birthday. Could this be a good omen?

Director Of Miss California Quits!

"Guess Shanna Moakler didn’t agree with Donald Trump’s decision to allow Carrie Prejean to remain Miss California! Shanna has just stepped down as the pageant director for the Miss California organization.

She said in a statement: "Since the press conference yesterday, I had a chance to think about what has taken place, and I feel that at this time it is in my best interest to resign from the Miss California USA organization.”

(HS)

Craigslist Gets Rid Of "Erotic Services"

"Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says that Craigslist is getting rid of its "erotic services" ads and will create a new adult category that Web site employees will review.

Madigan's office said Wednesday that such existing ads on Craigslist will expire in seven days.

Madigan and the attorneys general for Connecticut and Missouri met with Craigslist officials last week seeking an end to ads they contend are advertisements for illegal sexual activities." (Hey what about my ad!!!)
(MSNBC)

David Shuster Reacts To Miss California

MSNBC's David Shuster reacts (about like we do)to Donald Trump's announcement that Carrie Prejean will still be know as Miss lying, nude, money grubbing, California. Contess Brewer says that this is a good launching point to discuss gay marriage in a public forum. Where the f*ck has she been? Carrie launched the conversation....hello???? Remember us gays? The Shuster remarks are the best thing to come of this side show.

Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan Rushed To Hospital

"British music band Depeche Mode canceled an Athens concert Tuesday after lead singer Dave Gahan fell ill and was taken to a hospital in the Greek capital, event organizers said.

“We regret today’s performance has to be canceled ... David Gahan fell ill in his dressing room,” a concert organizer told an audience of about 20,000 waiting for the concert to start.

Depeche Mode is one of the longest-lived bands to have emerged from the early 1980s, with 45 songs in the British singles chart. The band plays post-punk, new wave music and has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide."

(MSNBC)

Catholic Archbishop Rembert Weakland - I'm Gay

A Roman Catholic archbishop who resigned in 2002 over a sex and financial scandal involving a man has written a memoir that describes how he struggled with being gay.
Archbishop Rembert Weakland, former head of the Milwaukee archdiocese, "is up front about his homosexuality in a church that preferred to ignore gays," Publisher's Weekly wrote in a review Monday. (And now he is writing a book about how to get boys? I guess he has to make some money to pay for the rent boys?)
(Comcast)

President Barack Obama Seems To Back Down On Repeal Of DADT

While campaigning for President, Barack Obama told gays that he would repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell law.
The majority of us threw our support behind a candidate we expected would move the government to treat us equally.
When asked on the transition teams web site if the president would repeal DADT, the Press Secretary Robert Gibbs wrote. "Yes."
Now, 110 days into the new presidency we hear this about DADT from Defense Secretary Robert Gates went asked about DADT: We are looking "down the road" because "that dialogue (to repeal DADT) though has not progressed very far."
On This Week With George Stephanopoulos Obama's National Security Adviser General James Jones said "I don't know." As in: I don't know if DADT will be repealed.
What the hell? Can anyone think of anything this president has done for our community since taking office? Hey Mr. President, now that you got the dog you think you might throw us a bone?

CBS Employee David Feherty Calls On Military To Kill Nancy Pelosi

CBS golf analyst David Feherty is sparking outrage due to his assertion that U.S. soldiers, given the chance, would murder House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"If you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Osama Bin Laden, there's a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and Bin Laden would be strangled to death," Feherty wrote in the April issue of D magazine.
We can only imagine what he might say about Obama and a rope. CBS needs to fire this nut at once.

White House Dinner: Bow Ties Out!

White House Dinner: Most seem to be toning it down (due to the economy?) No since being seen in your best tux when people are eating spam. Not to worry they are not serving dessert so that they can give that money to the poor.
I must say the Repubs are in bow ties and Armani. Todd Palin is in a tux he will only say he "got it in Alaska". I guess that means "rented", a lot like his daughter. Ok, we hate to say this but, Michelle Obama's dress sucks, and the necklace, did she get it off a street vendor? (Fine jewels out plastic in)That aside President Obama's remarks rocked! He said that his kids were the ones that took air force one to New York and are now grounded. The president did say a joke (good) for marriage in Iowa.
At the Fox News table we noticed that the Glenn Beck looked a bit animated. After all the drunken crap he has done, we hope it was just water in his glass. We wish him the best with his sobriety issues.
Wanda Sykes just took the stage: I must say she was ON! She covered it all. One of her best lines was about if his presidency, now was know as the black president, went bad he would be known as the half white president. She slammed Palin and it got a huge laugh! Wanda nailed Rush Limbaugh! This was the joke heard round the world! PS: I don't know if the A/C was off or broken but it was hotter than hell in the Hilton tonight!
Now we are off to the Vanity Fair Bloomberg party! Can't wait to get some rebublican bottom boy. Mark- Azire Times