Equinox & SoulCycle Face Backlash Over CEO's Pricey Trump Fundraiser

(stock image via Depositphotos)

The owner of Equinox Fitness Clubs has announced he is hosting a big-ticket fundraiser for President Trump’s reelection campaign this weekend and folks are not having it.

Stephen Ross, reported to be worth $7 billion, owns a majority stake in Equinox gyms as well as SoulCycle, Blink Fitness, PURE Yoga, and the Time Warner Center.

The billionaire, a longtime friend of Trump’s, will host a fundraiser in Southhampton for Trump where tickets range up to a whopping $250,000 for “lunch, a photo and a private roundtable with the president,” reports the Washington Post.

Stephen Ross (image via YouTube)

The fundraiser is quite the change-up from Trump’s stance in 2016 when he criticized his opponents for accepting massive campaign donations due to the implied access and influence donors may expect.

Equinox has long been a favorite of LGBT gym bunnies, but now that tide may turn.

Instagram users are now circulating a message encouraging people to boycott the trendy fitness venues.

View this post on Instagram

repost + spread the news @crunchgym @goldsgym @24hourfitness

A post shared by Cartography, Inc (@cartographynyc) on Aug 6, 2019 at 1:42pm PDT

Additionally, LGBT activist, actor, and Equinox member Wilson Cruz (Star Trek: Discovery, My So Called Life) has launched a petition on Change.org urging Equinox to end its support of Donald Trump.

In an open letter to Equinox on the petition page, Cruz says Trump’s anti-LGBTQ policies are incongruent with the spirit and base of the Equinox community.

“We don’t understand how this company, which owes its success to its LGBTQ membership especially in its largest markets in California, New York, Miami, Chicago and other big cities around the world thinks its appropriate to be tied to this fundraiser,” wrote Cruz.

We should add, as others have noticed, Cruz takes his workouts very seriously as his Instagram account will attest.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wilson Cruz (@wcruz73) on Jul 13, 2019 at 3:28pm PDT

After the Instagram account for Equinox was innundated with negative comments about the Southhampton event, the company posted a statement which read, in part, “We want to let you know that Equinox and SoulCycle have nothing to do with the event and do not support it.”

“As is consistent with our policies, no company profits are used to fund politicians,” the statement continued. “In fact, we are committed to all our members and the communities we live in.”

Calling Ross a ‘passive investor,’ the statement concluded with, “We believe in tolerance and equality, and will always stay true to those values.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Equinox (@equinox) on Aug 7, 2019 at 12:58pm PDT

Trump Supporter Who Sent Pipe Bombs To Trump's Political Opponents Gets 20 Year Prison Sentence

Cesar Sayoc (mug shot)

NBC News reports Cesar Sayoc, an ardent Trump supporter who pleaded guilty to sending more than a dozen pipe bombs to prominent critics of President Donald Trump last year, was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison.

Sayoc sent homemade pipe bombs bundled with glass shards to prominent Democrats including Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama.

The series of mailed pipe bombs, which prosecutors described in court papers as "a domestic terror attack," spurred a nationwide scare last year.

He was arrested on Oct. 26 outside an auto-parts store near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sayoc was living out of a white van plastered with stickers praising Trump and slogans condemning liberals and the media. He would shower at the gym where he works out, a Florida-based cousin previously told NBC News.

From Oct. 22 to Nov. 2, the FBI and U.S. Postal Service recovered 16 manila padded envelopes containing improvised explosive devices that were believed to have been sent by Sayoc from Florida, prosecutors said.

Sayoc is also accused of sending the devices, or addressing them to be sent, to former Vice President Joe Biden; former Attorney General Eric Holder; former CIA Director John Brennan; Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; activist Tom Steyer; and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

Sayoc had faced a possible sentence of life in prison.

Police reportedly found a list of more than 100 additional possible targets.

A cousin describes Sayoc to NBC News as a "lost soul" and a "loose cannon" who abused steroids.

MAGAbomber Asks For Leniency Since None Of His Bombs Exploded

Cesar Sayoc Jr. (photo: Broward Country Sheriff's Dept)

After pleading guilty to 65 felony counts regarding sending bomb-like devices to prominent Democrats, the 'MAGAbomber' - Cesar Sayoc Jr. - faces life in prison.

Sayoc listed among his targets Hillary Clinton, former CIA Director Jonn Brennan, actor Robert DeNiro, ex-President Barack Obama, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), former Attorney General Eric Holder, Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California), hedge-fund billionaire Tom Steyer and CNN.

But his legal team says that he should receive no more than 10 years and one month in prison for sending what they call "hoax devices."

From the New York Post:

Public defenders representing Sayoc, 57, note that the FBI released a report last week stating that the devices Sayoc sent to 13 targets “were not functional as bombs” and that no one was hurt. He sent what he thought were duds after months of suffering from “delusional” beliefs and using copious amounts of steroids, the attorneys argue.

“In Mr. Sayoc’s mind, he was sending a hoax device, and he had no true grasp of the severity of his crimes or the potential ramifications of his actions,” the attorneys wrote. Sayoc faces a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and is scheduled to be sentenced by Manhattan federal court Judge Jed Rakoff on Aug. 5.

They also argue that Sayoc is an outsize fan of President Donald Trump — and that he “became increasingly obsessive, paranoid, and angry” in the months leading up to the 2018 midterm elections, believing that anti-Trump forces had vandalized a “decrepit and cramped” van he was living in at the time that was plastered with pro-Trump messages and images.

Sayoc's attorneys also point to steroid use, alleged sexual abuse as a preteen and college panic attacks as mitigating circumstances that lead to his behavior.

Prosecutors say that even though the devices didn't work properly, they did involve real explosives, shards of glass, and toxic chemicals.

At the time of his arrest, Sayoc was living in a white van covered with pro-Trump images and messages, and others attacking Trump's critics — including ones that showed red crosshairs over Obama and Clinton.

Sayoc says he's really, really sorry.

CNN Speaks To GOP Voters But Doesn't Reveal They Are All Organized Trump Activists

(screen capture via CNN)

This is bad.

CNN interviewed a group of women presented as 'Republican' voters who happen to support Donald Trump, when they are actually part of an organized group that promotes the Donald.

From The Washington Post:

The seemingly random group of eight women were, in fact, members of an organized group dedicated to promoting Trump. The group calls itself the Trumpettes of America 2019 Palm Beach Team, although CNN and correspondent Randi Kaye didn’t mention anything about such a group. Nor did the anchors, including Anderson Cooper, who introduced Kaye’s report.

The network simply identified the panelists individually, with their names appearing onscreen next to the word “Republican.” Kaye gave no hint that the women knew one another and had a common cause.

As a result, the segment left the impression that CNN had assembled a panel reflecting a cross-section of opinion from Republican women about the crossfire between Trump and four freshman Democratic congresswomen of color, whom Trump told to “go back” to their own countries in Sunday tweets, despite all four being American citizens.

Rather than a cross-section, however, the Trumpettes were plainly of one mind.

Some of the women had appeared on CNN before, and neither time was an affiliation to being part of an organized Trump group acknowledged.

Edward Wasserman, dean of the University of California at Berkeley journalism school, described the lack of disclosure as "a fraud on the viewer."

Wasserman told the Post the network may have withheld the identity of the group "to cover up the lack of news value in the interview and to provide 'something that looks like balance' in the face of Trump’s criticism that CNN is anti-Trump."

The women do seem pleased with how the segment went, even going so far as to promote the clip on their Facebook page.

However, note that they encouraged their followers to watch them on "the Anti-Trump Fake News CNN Show."

There's gratitude for you...

Trump Supporter Appears To Have Faked Death Threats Against Himself

Jacob Wohl

Trump supporter and right-wing 'personality,' Jacob Wohl, may have reported fake death threats from a fictional gay Hispanic ‘diversity coordinator’ he made up on Twitter.

Of course he’d have to make the fictional character gay…

You might recall Wohl’s name from when he suffered an epic fail trying to smear Special Counsel Robert Mueller with fake accusations of sexual assault right before the 2018 midterm elections. The 21-year-old found himself suspended from Twitter for those antics, specifically creating and operating fake accounts.

The Daily Beast reports that, during a trip to Minneapolis, Wohl (a self-professed ‘political and corporate intel consultant’) went to the police and reported he’d received death threats from someone on Twitter. In the video embedded in the tweet below, Wohl specifically identifies the threat as coming from a ‘diversity coordinator.’

Here's a video clip showing Jacob Wohl reporting threats he received to the Minneapolis Police Department, and a screenshot of one particular “threat”—but the avatar image matches a fake Twitter account NBC News and The Daily Beast reported Wohl created. pic.twitter.com/bV7EZarJk8

— Tony Webster (@webster) March 13, 2019

NBC News reporter Ben Collins pointed up the charade on Twitter:

Jacob Wohl reported a death threat to the Minneapolis Police Department. Small problem: he wrote the threat to himself from a fake account he created, posing as a gay Hispanic "diversity coordinator," who does not really exist. https://t.co/o8sgpMWP8J

— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) March 13, 2019

On February 26, Collins reported the Twitter account ‘drakehomes612’ was created by Wohl.

The profile featured a Hispanic man’s photo, and its user described themselves as a "Diversity Coordinator, Minneapolis Born and Raised. Hater of racists, homophones, and bigots" and punctuated with a rainbow flag.

The Daily Beast writes, “A source familiar with Wohl’s fake accounts confirmed to me that @Drakehomes612 was run by Wohl before being deleted by Twitter. That means Wohl was sending himself fake death threats, presumably in an attempt to up the drama during his Minneapolis videos.”

The Minneapolis Police released documentation today from Wohl’s filed report which included a screen capture of the ‘threat.’ The language is identical to a threat Wohl included in his recent ‘documentary’ he shot while in Minneapolis.

JUST IN: Minneapolis Police provided me a redacted copy of everything Jacob Wohl provided as supporting evidence of the threats he reported. It includes the threat from the account he is reported to have created himself. pic.twitter.com/CjVHmNGAAL

— Tony Webster (@webster) March 13, 2019

In fact, Collins tracked down the man in the photo and it turns out he’s a Minnesota real estate agent named Aaron Delgado who had no idea his image had been usurped.

I talked to Aaron Delgado, the Minnesota realtor whose photo was used for Wohl's "Drake Holmes" creation.

Delgado's picture was stolen from Instagram. He has no idea why he was chosen.

"One of my clients messaged me. My face was making national news for all the wrong reasons." pic.twitter.com/mzzU0koKvN

— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) March 13, 2019

Jacob Wohl is the only person who used the Jussie Smollett story as inspiration. https://t.co/fHnXy2JgmD

— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) March 13, 2019

Remember how you felt about #JussieSmollett? Well, keep that SAME ENERGY with this “right wing provocateur”! https://t.co/sjL0q92zzB via @thedailybeast

— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) March 13, 2019

All of the conservatives who were so horribly gleeful about Jussie Smollett are oddly silent about Jacob Wohl. https://t.co/ky5Hc9ARsj

— Elizabeth Spiers (@espiers) March 13, 2019

Jacob Wohl is one dumb motherfucker.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) March 13, 2019

Jacob Wohl is Wile E. Coyote painting tunnels onto boulders and then immediately walking into them while the road runner beep beeps away and his body folds up like an accordion

— JuanPa (@jpbrammer) March 13, 2019

News Round-Up: March 12, 2019

Austin Wolf finds his light

Some news items you might have missed:

• 'Fitness obsessed' InstaHunk Austin Wolf (above) knows how to find the dramatic gym lighting for maximum selfie impact.

• A man wrote in to an advice column after he met his girlfriend's parents and realized he'd once hooked up with the dad.

• Donald Trump threw a Twitter rant over so-called 'presidential harassment' after the New York attorney general’s office issued subpoenas to Deutsche Bank and Investors Bank for records relating to the financing of four major Trump Organization projects and a failed effort to buy the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in 2014.

New York State and its Governor, Andrew Cuomo, are now proud members of the group of PRESIDENTIAL HARASSERS. No wonder people are fleeing the State in record numbers. The Witch Hunt continues!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 12, 2019

• Hate group leader Bill Donohue pens an op-ed for the Catholic League whining passage of the Equality Act will result in "affirmative action for the sexually confused."

• A new app will help #MAGA Trump supporters find restaurants that are safe spaces for their red hats and white nationalist views.

• Media Matters for America has released several recordings of Fox News host Tucker Carlson calling into a favorite radio show in the early 2000s using homophobic, misogynist and racist slurs. #WhoIsSurprised?

• Dido drops a beautiful acoustic version of “Mad Love” from her new album, Still On My Mind.

I find her voice to be so pure; and her music has a chill, relaxing effect on me. Hit play below.

El Paso Gay Bar Owner Attends Trump Rally

(image via Instagram)

An owner of a gay bar in El Paso, Texas, has come under fire for attending Donald Trump’s recent rally in his city.

Johnny Alcantar, one of five owners of The Old Plantation (known as the OP), not only took in the event but posted photos on his Instagram with other Trump supporters next to a Trump banner.

The post has since been deleted from Alcantar's Instagram but not before being screen captured.

Alcantar has since disabled commenting on the post, but left the photo up.

A local drag queen and DJ, Puto Kahlo, noticed the post and shared it via social media saying he was “disgusted.”

In his Facebook post, Kahlo wrote, “Y’all, straight people are the first to try to profit off of our community and our art but won’t hesitate to support a man who has called trans people burdens, hasn’t done shit for community but try to erase us, degraded women, and perpetuated racist and xenophobic rhetoric.”

The post has been shared over 700 times at this writing.

Owner and CEO of the Old Plantation, Mark Adkins, apologized in a statement saying,”The Old Plantation Nightclub does NOT support Trump’s views or opinions especially towards our LGBTQ community.”

Adkins went on to say Alcantar is a minority stakeholder in the club and does not “represent The Old Plantation, its ownership or our community in any way.”

Additionally, the statement noted Alcantar had been spoken to about the Instagram post and “expressed his regret for posting about the rally on social media and his fundamental lack of knowledge about the ways in which Trump’s administration is working to stifle the rights of the LGBTQ community, as well as the rights of others in the greater El Paso community.”

The CEO closed his message saying, “It’s very easy to forget how to express and show love and respect when politicians, including our own president, are spreading division through their words and policies. We have faith, however, that love will always win.”

Local news station KTSM spoke with Alcantar who said he only attended the rally to see a sitting president.

"It was never my intention to hurt anyone," Alcantar told KTSM. "I didn't know the stuff that Trump was passing."

"I don't agree with everything that Donald Trump says," he added, "But I have to support our President because he's our current president; I don't have any other choice."

Alcantar also mentioned he “has gay friends and family members.”

Now, there's a tired old trope...

Some members of the El Paso LGBTQ community are calling for a boycott of the club, which recently reopened after years of being shuttered.

What do you think, readers?

Is it plausible a straight man who invested in a gay bar in Texas had no inkling of Donald Trump’s attacks on the LGBTQ community?

Should the local community hold the bar responsible for a “minority stakeholder” attending a Trump rally?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Trump Supporters Violently Attack Media During Trump Rally

A violent Trump supporter shoved a BBC cameraman and starting yelling, "F*ck the media! F*ck the media!" during Donald Trump's rally in El Paso, Texas, last night.

From NPR:

The BBC's Ron Skeans was working in the area of a raised camera platform at Trump's campaign event when, he says, a "very hard shove" came out of nowhere. At the time, Trump was touting recent economic numbers to a roaring crowd in the El Paso County Coliseum.

Skeans' colleagues say the apparent attack came after repeated verbal assaults on the media during the event. The BBC says it is "clearly unacceptable for any of our staff to be attacked for doing their job."

"I didn't know what was going on," Skeans said, according to the BBC, describing the moment when his camera suddenly skewed down and away from the stage. Video footage showed a Trump supporter yelling obscenities as he was restrained and taken away from the area.

This is the shameful moment when my cameraman Ron Skeans was attacked at an ⁦@realDonaldTrump⁩ rally in El Paso last night - warning this video contains strong language. Happily Ron is fine. #TrumpElPaso pic.twitter.com/Ay5DYT6gjP

— Gary O'Donoghue (@BBCBlindGazza) February 12, 2019

The incident was apparently so wild and noticeable that even Trump stopped to check and see if the cameraman was fine asking, "You all right? Everything OK?"

The BBC’s Washington news editor, Eleanor Montague, tweeted that Trump had whipped the crowd “into a frenzy against the media” prior to the attack.

Wealthy Gay Trumpers Named "2018 Men Of The Year"

Trump supporters Bill White & Bryan Eure

Last month, I wrote about two wealthy gay New Yorkers profiled by The New York Times for their outspoken support for Donald Trump.

Actually, Bill White and Bryan Eure had spent years among the liberal elite of NYC hosting big-ticket fundraisers for Barack Obama and supporting Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns.

But on election night 2016, as the results were being reported, they quickly left the Clinton watch party and drove across town to suddenly become Trumpers.

Poof! Instant MAGAs.

“I didn’t want to be part of that misery pie; I’m not a wallower in self-pity,” White told the Times. “I really believe that once that decision is made, you have to get behind your president.”

I’m certain the course change had nothing to do with wanting access to the new president and his team. Nada.

In any case, The Washington Free Beacon has bestowed upon the men the title of “2018 Men of the Year.”

The Washington Free Beacon is proud to name Gay Liberal Millionaires for Trump, Bill White and Bryan Eure, Men of the Year. https://t.co/pxzu1I4kxO pic.twitter.com/PgIb0IlWAY

— Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) December 26, 2018

I think they misspelled the word ‘quisling.'

The outlet describes itself as “a privately owned, for-profit online newspaper” that is “dedicated to uncovering the stories that the powers that be hope will never see the light of day."

In its one page tribute to White and Eure, the far-right website uses the word 'bravery' seven times in describing the couple for being “gay, liberal, millionaires who nevertheless want to MAGA.”

White & Eure are literally being labeled a 'profile in courage' for jumping ship and running to the next opportunity.

The duo had fundraised for everyone around. Frauds like Barack Obama. Feminist icons like Hillary Clinton. But it wasn't until they discovered the charms of the straight-talking conductor of the Trump Train that they understood just how amazing politics could be.

And yet, for embracing this authentic billionaire whose taste runs toward the gold-plated, how have their friends reacted? With acceptance? With arms wide open?

No. They've been scorned, screamed at, shunned. Friends have turned their back. Hillaryworld has gone to war.

And yet, they endure. This is the sort of spirit that will make America great again. And for that, the Washington Free Beacon is proud to name Bill White and Bryan Eure men of the year.

“They endure.”

Who knew “endure” meant supporting a homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic divider who has a loose grasp on truth and reality.

But then, White and Eure seem to have their own loose grasp on loyalty or principles, flipping from one politician (or political party) to another as long as they have the access and ‘star treatment’ they crave.

At one point in the Times article, Eure complained that after 'borrowing' a friend's helicopter to travel to a Clinton campaign event, he didn't get the immediate access to Hillary Clinton he wanted. He said it was due to not writing a big enough check.

Eure, who spent most of his life as a Republican before marrying White, was caught on social media posting his own transphobic and homophobic comments, which were reported by NewNowNext.

When New York-based activist and drag queen Marti Gould Cummings called Eure out on Instagram saying the couple could have used their wealth to help transgender people, Eure responded, “Transgender is gross.”

In another social media post, one commenter disagreed with Eure’s position that there are lots of gay Trump supporters.

Eure clapped back with a threat: “Oh yes there are. And we will win and we will take your little rights away and deport you and gas you and turn you straight while you rot in a cage.”

Charming, no?

Washington Free Beacon, I give you your “2018 Men of the Year.”

Bring on 2019.

Please.

Actually, if you read the story, it’s beyond greed — it’s not about money. They’re just craven opportunists who want access to and accolades from whoever is the “winner.” Could be a progressive leader — could be a fascist. As long as they get star treatment. Vile.

— Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) November 26, 2018

They couldn’t get a picture with the Clintons or their asses kissed with VIP treatment, so Bill White and Bryan Eure sold out the LGBT community and slithered over to Trump. I’ve met soulless, greedy, entitled people like @BillWhiteNY and they disgust me.https://t.co/j6e4Bjad9h

— Wayne Besen (@WayneBesen) November 26, 2018

Unhinged Trump Supporter Harasses Trans Woman In Restaurant Bathroom On Facebook Live

Jazmina Saavedra (L) harassed an unidentified trans woman

A transgender woman using the restroom at a Los Angeles Denny’s restaurant found herself being harassed by a wanna-be Republican Congressional candidate who broadcast the encounter on Facebook Live.

Jazmina Saavedra, a Republican running to represent California’s 44th Congressional district, clearly thought she was going to make some kind of a name for herself in Trump Land by attacking transgender people.

Armed with a selfie stick to make sure her face was clearly seen and proudly sporting her Trump sweatshirt, Saavedra barged into the bathroom attacking the unidentified woman. As she enters the restroom, the restaurant manager is already inside the ladies’ restroom, outside the stall where the trans woman is trying to do her business in peace.

"Why are you using the ladies' room?" Saavedra demands to know. The trans woman in the stall shouts back, “You guys are harassing me…you’re invading my privacy,”

"You're invading my privacy because I'm a woman!" Saavedra responds.

As the manager removed Saavedra from the restroom, the would-be politician candidate yells, "You violated my rights! You're sick. Stupid, sick!”

"This is so stupid in California. You let people say, 'I'm a lady.' He's a man," Saavedra ranted as she made her way back into the restaurant, still broadcasting on Facebook. "This is so stupid in California. This is what the politicians, the sick politicians, approve. They put us in danger, a woman like me."

The great irony here is it is the trans woman who is in danger; it is the trans woman’s privacy being invaded; and it’s the trans woman who merely wants to answer nature’s call and go about her life.

Trans woman trying to leave restaurant after being harassed

As the transgender woman was exiting the restaurant she addressed Saavedra asking, “Excuse me, I was using the toilet, how was I invading your privacy? Why are you singling me out, lady? And I’ve seen you yesterday following me.”

“Next time use the men’s room,” Saavedra hissed back. “Or nobody’s room. A transgender room.”

The Democratic congresswoman Saavedra is attempting to unseat is Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan, who denounced Saavedra’s actions in a statement: “I was appalled by the treatment that this woman received for simply trying to use the restroom. Everyone has the right to their own identity, and the right not to be discriminated against for who they are.”

Behavior like this from a Trump supporter isn’t news to those who have watched the Trump/Pence administration attack and dismantle rights and protections for transgender individuals. This includes:

• Rolling back guidance that directed schools to recognize a student’s gender identity

• Proposing a ban on transgender military service members

• Revoking regulations that protect trans people from health care discrimination

• Making changes to prison guidelines on where to house trans prisoners

The Advocate contacted Saavedra who held tight to her declaration that she felt she was in danger.

"I was feeling afraid of being inside the bathroom with a man," she told The Advocate. "I didn’t know he was gay, I just heard the voice was a man. Another customer approached me and said that they were scared to go into the restroom because there was a voice of a man inside, and so I told the manager."

Watching the video below, Saavedra doesn’t look very “scared.”

As has been widely covered by the press, there has never been a reported incident of a transgender person attacking or harassing anyone in a bathroom anywhere in the country. Ever.

Even in this recorded video, it is Saavedra who is stalking the trans woman.

Watch the Facebook Live video below:

Trumpers Offended By Michelle Wolf Jokes - Hypocrisy Much?

After comedian Michelle Wolf's stint at the White House Correspondents Dinner this weekend, tons of Trump supporters wailed about how "inappropriate" her jokes were and how she "crossed a line."

But just to put it all into perspective, let's take a trip in the way-back machine to remember Trumpers' own proudly public statements.

Video: This Is What Trump Supporters Think About His "Shithole Countries" Comment

Seriously with Maryann

UPDATE: Miss Maryann must have taken down her videos but another source posted the video, so it's back up for all to see below.

********************************

While half the country (and much of the world) is appalled at Donald Trump's now-infamous "shithole countries" comment regarding folks coming to the U.S. from places like Haiti and Africa, this clip has gone viral on Facebook.

Check out "Seriously with Maryann" via Facebook, kids.

While some Trumpers try and explain his comments and tactics, I honestly think THIS is the true character of his base.

By the way, in the clip "Maryann" asks why people are coming to the United States from around the world. The fact that she even poses the question reveals she doesn't understand why America is great.

Just - watch. This is how we got here.

Trump Supporter Lied About Being A Decorated Vietnam Navy SEAL On Fox News

Well, this must have taken some serious stones.

Twelve days ago, Fox News ran a story about a Trump supporter who claimed to be a decorated Vietnam War Navy SEAL. The man had created an enormous glass presidential seal with the hope that he could present it to Donald Trump.

Turns out the artist had inflated his military record. A lot.

The Washington Post is reporting today that the Trump supporter never served as a Navy SEAL or in Vietnam, much less earned commendations for his service.

In the segment, John Garafalo said he served in the Vietnam War with the U.S. Navy SEAL team. Fox News reported that he also received two Purple Hearts and about two dozen other medals for his service.

The man’s claimed record turned out to be a fabrication. It was first discovered by former Navy SEALs. Both these SEALs and family members of Garofalo contacted Fox News about the story, according to the Navy Times.

Don Shipley, a retired SEAL, told the Navy Times that he contacted Fox on Oct. 9, the day after the story ran.

But the story was still on the news outlet’s Facebook page on Oct. 19. By then it had amassed 1.5 million views.

Fox published a correction on Thursday.

“All of Garofalo’s claims turned out to be untrue,” Fox’s correction stated. “The fact is that he did not serve in Vietnam. He was never a U.S. Navy SEAL. Even though he showed us medals, Garofalo was not awarded two Purple Hearts or any of the other nearly two dozen commendations he claimed to have received, except for the National Defense Service Medal.”

Garofalo served in the Navy from Sept. 6, 1963, to Sept. 6, 1967, according to military records obtained by the Navy Times. He told the newspaper he’s been lying about being a Vietnam veteran and a Navy SEAL for years.

“It got bigger and bigger,” Garofalo told the newspaper in a telephone interview. “What I did I‘m ashamed of, and I didn’t mean to cause so much disgrace to the SEALs.”

News Round-Up: September 26, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• I'm calling for #TouchTuesdays. Do you ever think about how much you touch (or don't touch) your spouse/significant other/family/friends? If not, give that a ponder. Human contact literally connects us. I was holding hot hubby Michael's hand through the streets of NYC this week and remembered how much I like it :)

• Have you heard the one about the gay Republican who has spent time on Twitter asking why he should pay for health insurance since he's young and in perfect shape? The same guy who was in a car accident and realized his hospital bill could be enormous? The same guy who, opposing "free healthcare" set up a GoFundMe campaign so others could pay his bills? I kid you not. #Karma

• Frances Abbott, daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, has made a video for the "Vote Yes" campaign regarding the current vote-by-mail survey on same-sex marriage down under. Her father has famously opposed legalizing marriage equality even though his own sister is openly lesbian.

• Virulently anti-gay Alabama state Rep. Micky Hammon pleads guilty to mail fraud after cashing campaign donation checks and then moving the money into his personal account to pay his bills.

• In Cairo, Egyptian police arrested 7 people for waving an LGBT rainbow flag during a concert by Lebanese indie rock band Mashrou’ Leila, whose lead singer is openly gay.

• Trump voters share why they began to have doubts about voting for Donald Trump:

From cabinet picks to the debate over inaugural crowd size, Trump voters share when they started having regrets https://t.co/qtWJZnqZ6n

— New Day (@NewDay) September 26, 2017

NYC: "Julius Caesar" Interrupted By Trump Followers

(screen capture via Twitter)

From The New York Times:

A production of “Julius Caesar” in Central Park was disrupted on Friday evening by two protesters who objected to the bloody scene in which the title character, played by an actor costumed and styled to resemble President Trump, is knifed to death.

A woman who later identified herself on social media as Laura Loomer jumped onto the stage just after the assassination of Caesar and began shouting, “Stop the normalization of political violence against the right,” and, “This is violence against Donald Trump.” Ms. Loomer describes herself as a “a right-wing investigative journalist and activist” who has previously worked with James O’Keefe, the conservative activist known for selectively edited undercover video investigations.

Ms. Loomer’s interruption of the scene was being recorded by a man in the audience who began shouting, “You are all Goebbels,” a reference to the Hitler aide and Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. On social media, Jack Posobiec, an activist who supports President Trump and has been associated with conspiracy theories, identified himself as Ms. Loomer’s collaborator.

The show was paused briefly, with the actors still on stage, as security officers removed the two protesters from the Delacorte Theater, the 1,800-seat outdoor amphitheater in which Shakespeare in the Park is staged. The audience tried to shout down the protesters, and applauded as they were removed.

What the protesters do not include in their dramatics is that a production of Julius Caesar was produced in 2012 in Washington, D.C. with an Obama-like figure playing "Caesar." They had no objections then.

BREAKING: Julius Ceasar Gets SHUTDOWN pic.twitter.com/ITgfMR0tHE

— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 17, 2017

Earlier this evening, a pair of paid protestors briefly disrupted our performance of JULIUS CAESAR, as anticipated. (1/4)

— The Public Theater (@PublicTheaterNY) June 17, 2017

While we are champions of the first amendment, this interruption unfortunately was part of a paid strategy driven by social media. (2/4)

— The Public Theater (@PublicTheaterNY) June 17, 2017

Thank you to our staff and security who worked to peacefully remove them from the theater... (3/4)

— The Public Theater (@PublicTheaterNY) June 17, 2017

...so we could continue with our evening of Free Shakespeare in the Park. (4/4)

— The Public Theater (@PublicTheaterNY) June 17, 2017

Trump Supporter Terrorizes Muslim Family At Texas Beach

(image via screen capture)

Trump supporter Alexander Jennes Downing, 35, literally terrorizes a family during a day at the beach.

In the video below, taken by the family that afternoon, Downing walks over and confronts them, screaming, "You're a f****** Muslim, motherf*****."

When another beachgoer attempted to defuse the situation he cut around the man to return yelling, "You will never ever, ever, stop me, my Christianity, from rising above your Sharia law. Your Sharia law don't mean s*** to me."

Later, Downing grabbed his crotch yelling, "Donald Trump will stop you. Donald Trump will stop you!"

All of this happened in front of small children.

Downing was eventually taken into custody by the police for public intoxication.

From the clip description:

While enjoying our time at the beach during a family reunion, our kids and us had to experience ugliness and aggressiveness in the worse shape and form possible.

We were staying at the South Padre Pearl hotel and went to the beach through their private access. My father was approached by two woman who were also enjoying their time. The women asked him to help with talking to a stranger who was harassing them. All my father said to the guy was "please enjoy your time and have fun and let everyone else here enjoy their time." The guy seemed to listen and walked away.

He then came back to my father and started throwing racist comments. He was yelling so loud that my uncles and my brother came over from the water to see what was going on. The insane man came close to the kids and that's when my uncle stood up to him and defended us and the kids, including my 4 year old cousin, 4 and 2 year old nephews.

The video here shows a glimpse of what we all had to experience.

It is worth mentioning that we contacted South Padre police and the man left on his way back to the hotel. A little after that the police came and told my father to call them again if he harasses us again.

We went back to playing in the water and sand then the insane man came back with even more aggressiveness and more racial slurs. We called 911 again as you may be able to hear on the video. After about 20 minutes of him going crazy he left back to the hotel.

The police then came back and they arrested the man at the hotel restaurant. When we spoke to the hotel management, they said they couldn't do anything at the time because he is in police custody and that if they see him, they will evict him.

The next morning my uncle saw him at the front desk and talked to the management. They plainly told us that they can't do anything about it right now and that if he does this again he will be arrested. I don't understand what it takes for this hotel to take actions. Do they need someone to get hurt?

Finally, thanks to the cops who took the insane man right away and assured us that this is a nice place but every now and then they get a crazy person like this.

Overall we enjoyed the lovely island and we will definitely go back to South Padre again, we surely will never go back to Pearl South Padre hotel, Texas again.

Not sure if it's the same Alexander Jennes Downing, but according to this website, a man with the same name who looks a lot like him was charged a few months ago with "Battery Domestic Violence" and "Abuse of Elderly or Disabled Adult."

Downing's family must be so proud.

Is this what Donald Trump means when he says Make America Great Again?

Watch below. The lunatic really gets going around the 2:40 mark.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

Trump Supporters On Voter Fraud Claims: From "Busloads Of Illegal Voters" To "Cars Of People" Who May Have Been Legal Voters

Watch Trump supporters wiggle out of previous statements that they had personally seen "busloads" of people cross the state line from Massachusetts into New Hampshire to illegally vote.

First it's "millions," then it's "busloads and busloads," then it's one car with Massachusetts plates and 8 people in it, then it's "well... um..."

Then goes from "seen it myself" to "saw it on TV."

This is truly delusional crap.

https://t.co/IAin6KmNlj

— andrew kaczynski 🤔 (@KFILE) March 30, 2017