RadioRob

Published by Fort Worth Star-Telegram If you feel like drag queens are ubiquitous these days, you aren’t wrong. Whether it’s public libraries, advertisements or award shows, it seems like the gender-bending performers, once relegated to mature adult spaces, are suddenly impossible to avoid. They’re practically everywhere — except perhaps the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon. Late last month, university President Walter Wendler, canceled a student-run drag show. It was intended to be a charity event, raising funds for the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization that focuses on suicide prevention in the LGBTQ community… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Berlin is one of Europe’s most popular destinations for a city break, with approximately 10.4 million visitors in 2022. But many tourists just stick to the well-known central attractions. Now, local authorities want visitors to explore further afield, venturing out into the lesser-known areas of the city. The council has launched an initiative called ‘Off to B!’ that refers to traffic zone B, an area outside of the inner S-Bahn railway ring. Discover Berlin’s lesser-known B zoneBerlin’s B zone is made up of nine districts each offering tourists a chance to explore a different side of the city…. Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet Anti-transgender rhetoric is on the rise within the Republican Party, from conservative commentator Michael Knowles’ suggesting transgender people should be “eradicated,” to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) anti-trans Twitter rant following the recent Nashville school mass shooting. The latest example of brazen anti-trans language comes from former President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., on an episode of the “Full Send” podcast. Former GOP prosecutor Ron Filipkowski shared a clip of the MAGA heir’s rant Sunday, writing, “Junior claims he has trans friends and is pretty liberal on t… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nate Raymond (Reuters) – The federal judge who on Friday suspended approval of the abortion pill mifepristone is a former Christian legal activist whose small courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, has become a go-to destination for conservatives challenging Biden administration policies. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, an appointee of former Republican President Donald Trump, had a long track record of opposing abortion and LGBTQ rights before the U.S. Senate confirmed him in 2019 to a life-tenured position as a federal judge. Now on the bench, he has routinely ruled against Democratic causes. Since October alone, Kacsmaryk has blocked an end to Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” immigration program and ruled against Biden administration policies designed to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in the workplace and at doctors’ offices. Kacsmaryk did not respond to a request for comment. When anti-abortion groups in November filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s more than two-decade old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, they filed in Amarillo, guaranteeing the case would be heard by Kacsmaryk. Although his ruling on Friday was preliminary and not on the merits of the case, Kacsmaryk indicated he thought the challenge was substantially likely to succeed. He said that the FDA had ignored risks in approving the drug. His ruling used language common in anti-abortion circles. Mifepristone, he said, is used to “kill unborn humans.” He disclaimed the use of the word “fetuses” as “inaccurately describing unborn humans,” noting they might be “persons” entitled to equal protection rights. He also described some of the defense arguments as supporting “eugenics.” Josh Blackman, a conservative law professor at South Texas College of Law who knows Kacsmaryk, compared his judicial philosophy to that of two of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most conservative justices, Justice Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. “He’s not a moderate,” Blackman said. ‘SHADOWY PENUMBRAS’ Kacsmaryk left a position as a federal prosecutor in 2014 to join the Christian legal group First Liberty Institute, where as its deputy general he fought against LGBTQ anti-discrimination protections, same-sex marriage and abortion rights. In that role, he called abortion rights supporters “sexual revolutionaries” in a 2015 article that was critical of the 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which had guaranteed a national right to abortion, until the high court overturned it last year. Kacsmaryk called Roe v. Wade a ruling in which “seven justices of the Supreme Court found an unwritten ‘fundamental right’ to abortion hiding in the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the shadowy ‘penumbras’ of the Bill of Rights, a celestial phenomenon invisible to the non-lawyer eye.” During his time with the Christian legal group, he helped oppose a federal mandate that employer-provided health insurance cover women’s birth control, and fought a Washington state law requiring pharmacists to stock a “representative assortment of drugs” to meet patient needs, including emergency contraception medications. His nomination to the bench was part of a push during Trump’s tenure to tilt the judiciary to the right. Trump got a near-record 234 judicial nominees confirmed, including Kacsmaryk, who like many other Trump appointees belongs to the conservative Federalist Society. Facing fierce opposition from LGBTQ groups and Democrats, Kacsmaryk testified before a December 2017 Senate Judiciary Committee that it would be “inappropriate” for judges to allow their religious convictions to influence their rulings. He won Senate confirmation on a party-line 52–46 vote in 2019, with only one Republican, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, voting against him at the time, citing his “alarming bias” against LGBTQ people. FAVORED VENUE Since then, his courthouse has become a favored venue for conservative legal activists and Republican state attorneys general pursuing lawsuits seeking to halt aspects of Democratic President Joe Biden’s agenda – often with success. In October, Kacsmaryk vacated Biden administration guidance requiring employers to allow transgender workers to dress and use bathrooms consistent with their gender identities. A month later, he ruled the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Biden had wrongly interpreted a provision of the Affordable Care Act as barring healthcare providers from discriminating against gay and transgender people. Kacsmaryk has also ruled for birth control foes, ruling in December that allowing minors to obtain free contraception though the Title X federal program without parental consent was unlawful. He is currently presiding over a lawsuit filed by the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense and others accusing media companies, including Reuters, of violating federal antitrust laws by working with tech companies to censor information about COVID-19. A Reuters spokesperson has denied the allegations. The fact that conservatives have been able to steer so many cases to Kacsmaryk’s courthouse in the 14th largest city in Texas involves an obscure local order that assigns 95% of federal civil cases to him, its lone judge. The order virtually guarantees litigants suing in Amarillo get Kacsmaryk and not any of the 12 other active judges in the Northern District of Texas, which also covers Dallas, Fort Worth and other cities. The Biden administration has sought to transfer at least one case away from Kacsmaryk, accusing a group of Republican state attorneys general of “judge shopping” by filing a lawsuit challenging a rule that allows socially conscious investing by employee retirement plans in Amarillo to get Kacsmaryk. The judge rejected the administration’s bid to move that case in late March, saying it had provided no evidence that the litigation did not belong in his court or that plaintiffs were attempting to manipulate the process. While the district’s chief judge could order cases be reallocated, he has not. Supporters of the current practice note that it ensures someone living in Amarillo and suing there does not need to drive five-plus hours to Dallas for a court hearing. Sarah Lipton-Lubet, executive director of the progressive legal advocacy group Take Back the Court said, “conservative litigants know that they can make all sorts of outlandish arguments, because they know that right wing judges, and this judge in particular, are going to be receptive.” (This story has been refiled to fix dateline) (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Bill Berkrot and Diane Craft) View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Award-winning author and trans activist Rachel Pollack has died aged 77. The writer was a leading authority on tarot and the occult, and a comic-book writer who created the first mainstream transgender superhero. She first found success in 1971 with her short story ‘Pandora’s Bust’, which was published in Michael Moorcock’s seminal new wave magazine New Worlds. Pollack transitioned soon afterwards. She was an incredibly prolific writer, publishing numerous non-fiction works including many on tarot, as well as publishing seven novels and four collections of short stories, including ‘Unquenchabl… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Almost two months after Don Lemon dissed Nikki Haley, he is now coming for Jon Stewart. The TV personality, 57, showed a clip of the comedian, 60, interviewing U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, where Stewart commented how wasteful the budget is. “I can’t figure out how $850 billion to a department means that the rank and file still have to be on food stamps. To me, that’s f****** corruption,” Stewart replied after Hicks challenged him. The video of the interview stayed on the screen, but the audio cut out, then Lemon could be heard talking to his co-hosts about the situation. “He gets a lot of leeway with the comedian thing, though,” Lemon said before attempting to recover from the awkward moment. Lemon insisted that Stewart is much more than a comedian, which he repeated multiple times. mega Of course, people couldn’t help but weigh in on Lemon’s comments. One person wrote, “Ha, Jon Stewart as a comedian/activist has done more to change our country for the positive than @donlemon could ever dream of,” while another said, “He’s an angry resentful insecure gay man that hates women.” A third person added, “Good grief, what is going to be coming out of his mouth next.” Don Lemon & Donald Trump’s Lawyer Viciously Butt Heads Over ‘Garbage’ Hush-Money Probe Don Lemon’s Past Misogynistic Behavior Exposed: CNN Star Called Producer Fat To Her Face, Mocked Nancy Grace On-Air Megyn Kelly Slams Don Lemon’s Alleged Threatening Texts To Kyra Phillips As ‘Crazy A** Single White Female Behavior’ As OK! previously reported, the CNN star’s past behavior was exposed whenVariety revealed he called one of his producers fat to her face and mocked Nancy Grace on-air. “That was the beginning of when you knew that Don was kind of volatile and didn’t say good things about women,” an insider said of the Grace incident. mega Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! Lemon has also angered his colleagues with his “diva-like behavior,” as he would skip editorial calls, show up late to the newsroom or exhibit disengaged behavior. Things got worse in 2009 when Anderson Cooper and Lemon covered Michael Jackson‘s memorial from inside. However, Cooper ended up getting more airtime, leading Lemon to become jealous. “That led to a come-to-Jesus moment,” a senior executive spilled. “Don was told, ‘Look, you’ve got to address your behavior. Your performance as a reporter is great. It’s your behavior that’s gotta improve. It’s what’s going to derail you if you’re not careful.’” View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA; @kidrock/twitter Howard Stern said that he was “dumbfounded” after watching Kid Rock‘s Bud Light protest video, RadarOnline.com has learned, explaining the music star seemed to be “really bent out of shape” over the beer company’s partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. Although Kid Rock did not mention her by name in the viral clip, the American Bad Ass hitmaker made sure to deliver a “clear and concise” message following Mulvaney’s recent promotion with their signature blue and white cans by shooting up full cases. MEGA “F— Bud Light, and f— Anheuser-Busch,” Kid Rock said. “Have a terrific day.” SiriusXM’sThe Howard Stern Show covered the controversy on Monday’s episode, with him asking why Kid Rock and country star Travis Tritt were so upset and “lost their s— over this beer can thing.” “I thought there must be a piece of this story that I’m missing and I don’t know why — I’m not bothered by gay people or transsexual people. They don’t impact my life,” Stern continued. @kidrock/twitter The Bud Light vice president said just days before Mulvaney’s collab was revealed that her marketing strategy for the brand has been to incorporate inclusivity while also appealing to “women and to men” as well as a younger demographic. Alissa Heinerscheid, who became the first woman to lead Bud Light last year, said that BL had been “in decline for a really long time” during her recent interview. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. Battle Of The Exes: Kid Rock & Tommy Lee Went Head-To-Head Over ‘Baywatch’ Bombshell Pamela Anderson After Friendship Turned Sour, Sources Claim Kid Rock’s ‘Borat’ Blowup: Pamela Anderson Claims Ex-Husband Scolded Her & ‘STORMED Out’ Of Film Screening Kid Rock Declares ‘F— Bud Light’, Shoots Up Beer Cases In Anger Over Trans Star Dylan Mulvaney’s Partnership With Company MEGA Tritt sounded off not long after Kid Rock, announcing that he would be removing all related products from his hospitality tour rider in protest, a choice Stern was baffled by. “They don’t hurt my life,” Stern said of the gay and transexual community. “I love when people are in love. You wanna be a woman, be a woman, you wanna be a dude, be a dude … Long as you ain’t hurting anybody, I’m on your team.” MEGA Stern said he would like to book Kid Rock for the show to explain. “He transitioned from some kid in Michigan to a rock superstar. And that was a good transition,” the media personality added. “I’m really dumbfounded by why someone would care so much that they would blow up a can of Bud Light.” Stern then reflected on Kid Rock’s rise to fame, explaining that “he would wear a feather boa — you know, when he first started out with maybe even a mink coat, you know what I mean? He was flamboyant in his own way.” Kid Rock has yet to respond to criticism of his protest video. View the full article

Published by Raw Story Remember Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL), who in 2006 resigned in disgrace following a sexting scandal with an underage congressional page? He had technically kept open his campaign committee, which once had a 7-figure surplus. Today, in a letter to the Federal Election Commission obtained by Raw Story, Friends of Mark Foley reported donating almost all of its remaining cash to charity — including $1,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach County in Florida. In all of those years the committee had been active, it wasn’t entirely going unused. A report earlier this year indicated that Foley was sti… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP The Biden administration has released new proposals which seek to find a middle ground on the thorny issue of transgender athletes competing in school-related competitions, such as when swimmer Lia Thomas competed in a 2022 collegiate event Los Angeles (AFP) – A US government proposal which would prevent schools from implementing blanket bans on transgender students participating in sports matching their gender identity has triggered a furious backlash from both conservative politicians and trans rights activists. The Department of Education unveiled a proposal last Thursday which aims to provide clarity on the issue of transgender athletes competing in school and college sports across the United States. The department said in its proposal that outright bans of transgender athletes would violate Title IX, the landmark civil rights law enacted 51 years ago that forbids discrimination of any kind on the basis of gender in schools or educational facilities that receive federal support. At least 20 states have so far implemented bans on transgender students participating in sports consistent with their gender identity — bans that fall foul of the Department of Education’s new proposal. “Such bans fail to account for differences among students across grade and education levels,” the Education Department said. “They also fail to account for different levels of competition — including no-cut teams that let all students participate — and different types of sports.” Yet while outright bans are outlawed under the proposal, educational institutions would however be granted discretion to bar trans students from competing if their participation was deemed to undermine fairness. Under the proposal, a school might, for example, have difficulty keeping a transgender student from playing in an elementary school sports match meant to emphasize teamwork, but could potentially ban such athletes from competitive high school matches. Trans people in sport has become a heated political issue in the United States, with religious conservatives especially fighting against their inclusion on girls’ teams. The thorniness of the issue was underscored by the fact that the Biden administration’s attempt to find a middle ground brought condemnation from across the spectrum. Some progressives and trans rights activists framed the move as a “betrayal” while conservative politicians vowed to fight its implementation. Proposal ‘a disgrace’ Progressive Democratic lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed the proposal as a disgrace. “Absolutely no reason for the Biden admin to do this,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter. “It is indefensible and embarrassing. The admin can still walk this back, and they should. It’s a disgrace.” Erin Reed, a legislative researcher and activist for transgender rights, said the proposal would provide an opening for Republicans seeking to justify outright bans on transgender athletes in school sports. “I can’t read this any other way than a betrayal,” Reed wrote on Twitter. “The administration will argue that this was ‘nuanced’ and ‘disallows outright bans’. Republicans will run with this as justification. School boards will use this to ban.” Other trans rights supporters, however, were more receptive to the proposal, which must clear several hurdles before it is finally approved. Jennifer Levi, senior director of transgender and queer rights at GLAD, a legal advocacy group, said the rule “affirms the importance of giving transgender students the chance to play sports. “Being on a team helps students build healthy self-esteem, confidence, and positive self-image,” Levi said. “The proposed rule prohibits the kind of categorical bans adopted in too many states that are hurting transgender students and that send a dangerous message to all students.” Meanwhile conservative critics — notably from states among the 20 which have implemented outright bans on transgender students from participating in sports — vowed to fight the Biden administration proposal through the courts. “We will defend our laws,” South Dakota’s Republican governor Kristi Noem wrote on Twitter. “Only girls will play girls’ sports. President Biden, we’ll see you in court.” Alabama attorney general Steve Marshall also suggested the state would mount a legal defense of its ban on trans women and girls from participating in female school sports teams. “I have made myself abundantly clear to the Biden Administration that he will not impose his radical policies on Alabama athletes. He will not destroy athletic competition for our young women & girls. In Alabama our law protects girls sports.” View the full article

Published by AlterNet When pro-choice Sen. Susan Collins of Maine voted to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018, the pro-choice Republican insisted that then-President Donald Trump’s nominee considered Roe v. Wade “settled law.” But she was wrong. In 2022, Kavanaugh was among the five justices who voted to overturn Roe — after 49 years — with the widely unpopular Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. Dobbs was not a nationwide abortion ban. Post-Roe, the legality or illegality of abortion is being decided on a state-by-state basis in the United States. And one of the th… Read More View the full article

Published by Kaiser Health News When a federal judge in Texas declared unconstitutional a popular part of the Affordable Care Act that ensures no-cost preventive care for certain services, such as screening exams for conditions such as diabetes, hepatitis, and certain cancers, it left a lot of people with a lot of questions. On the face of it, the March 30 decision could affect ACA and job-based insurance plans nationwide and a host of medical services now free for patients. What does this mean, really, for people with insurance? Policy and legal experts say there are some unanswered questions and a whole lot of nuances. Fir… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Britney Spears is apparently much different when she is not performing for a huge crowd, according to Fenton Bailey, who directed the singer’s 2013 documentary, I Am Britney Jean. “Because of ‘Oops, I Did It Again’ or ‘Slave 4 U’ we think she’s just, like, [a] charged up sex strumpet,” Bailey told Andy Cohen during his appearance on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy of the pop star’s hit songs. “That’s not who she is,” he elaborated. “On the stage she is, but in real life, she’s shy, very introverted. And as she has kept on saying, ‘I’m just a normal, boring person.'” mega In the documentary, the blonde babe, who is married to Sam Asghari, said she thinks she’s “not really made for this industry.” “I have always been kind of shy, since I was a little girl. It’s who I am to be modest, so I really can’t help it,” she admitted. “I turn into this different person [when I perform] … seriously, bipolar disorder.” Britney Spears Shows Off Her Bare Face During Vacation Gone Wrong: Photos Unkempt Britney Spears Seen With Bodyguard On Vacation After Ditching Wedding Ring Britney Spears Shows Off Suggestive Sweat Stains In Latest Dance Video: ‘I Was Hot In My Car’ As OK! previously reported, Spears, 41, was freed from her conservatorship in 2021, and since then, she hasn’t been shy about posting about her antics on social media. From dancing in front of the camera to showing off mirror selfies. Despite the questionable behavior, Spears insisted she’s all there and doing just fine. mega After fans called the cops to check in on the “Toxic” songstress, she spoke out about the ordeal. “This felt like I was being gaslit and bullied once the incident made it to the news and being portrayed once again in a poor and unfair light by the media,” she wrote on Twitter at the time. “During this time in my life, I truly hope the public and my fans who I care so much about can respect my privacy moving forward.” Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! For now, Spears seems to be living her best life while on vacation. Though she’s not with her hubby — and she and Asghari have been spotted without their wedding bands — the actor’s rep insisted there are no marital issues between them. The 29-year-old hunk took off his jewelry since he’s currently filming a movie. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jarrett Renshaw WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration on Thursday proposed a rule change that would prohibit schools from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes from teams that are consistent with their gender identities, but offered flexibility on exceptions for the highest levels of competition. The proposed change to Title IX is likely to revive debates about transgender rights, particularly in sports. Across the country, there has been a push by conservative U.S. lawmakers to prevent transgender women from participating in school sports. The proposal would also offer flexibility to K-12 schools and universities to limit the participation of transgender students when including them could undermine “fairness in competition” or potentially lead to sports-related injuries. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination at educational institutions that receive federal funding. Under the changes proposed by the White House, which must undergo a period of public comment, elementary school students would generally be able to participate in school sports consistent with their gender identity. But for older students, questions of fairness and physicality could come into play. “Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Being on a sports team is an important part of the school experience for students of all ages.” The rule is expected to be challenged in court. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday refused to let West Virginia enforce a state law banning transgender athletes from female sports teams at public schools, one of many Republican-backed measures across the country targeting LGBTQ rights. “South Dakota will not allow this to stand. We will lead. We will defend our laws. Only girls will play girls’ sports. President Biden, we’ll see you in court,” South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem tweeted on Thursday. Title IX requires schools to provide equal opportunities for women in U.S. education programs. It has been credited with opening the door to more women in sports. Critics say transgender women who take part in women’s sports are often bigger and stronger than their cisgender opponents and have an unfair advantage. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Alistair Bell and Diane Craft) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sam Smith insists being famous and successful doesn’t protect them from homophobia. The ‘I’m Not Here To Make Friends’ singer recently revealed they were spat at in the street in London – and it wasn’t an isolated incident. They told ET Canada: “It [homophobia] is still around. I’ve had a few experiences over the years in London that haven’t been nice and it’s when they happen, it’s just a reminder that I am in a successful position with my job and all this stuff, and it still happens to me. “So, just you’ve got to remember what’s happening to everyone out there. And it’s a shame. But at the same time, things are moving forward… and we’ve got to look at the positives.” Sam revealed they were “spat at” by a stranger after publicly changing their pronouns. The ‘Stay With Me’ star came out as non-binary and adopted the gender pronouns of they/them back in 2019. And the singer revealed they were bombarded with abuse and even harassed on the street after bravely made their true identity known – and Sam says the constant hatred was just “exhausting”. Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Sam said: “I think all the only negatives in the struggle have been in my public life and my job. And just the amount of hate and s******** that came my way was just exhausting. “It was in the f****** news. Someone spat at me in the street. It’s crazy. What I find hard about it is it’s like, if that’s happening to me and I’m famous, I’m a pop star, can you imagine what other kids, like queer kids are feeling?” Sam added: “It’s just so sad that we’re in 2023 and it’s still happening. It’s exhausting and especially in England.” However, Sam is adamant they have no regrets because changing pronouns helped them feel “comfortable”. They went on: “So we’ve got two sides, really. My personal life and then my public life. And in my personal life, there’s not one negative. “My family, they can communicate with me. They always did. But they communicate with me now in an even better way. My love life has become better from it. I feel lovable. I feel comfortable in my skin, but I wear what I want to wear. “Since changing my pronouns, it felt like a coming home. I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school, because I would’ve identified as that in school. Because it is who I am and it’s who I’ve always been.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Clarence Thomas’ career as a U.S. Supreme Court justice began following one of the most contentious confirmation battles in Senate history and 32 years later this conservative champion continues to draw controversy. On Thursday, Senate Democrats called for an investigation after a report by ProPublica said the 74-year-old associate justice has spent decades taking luxury trips around the world financed by a Dallas businessman — trips that were not disclosed under federal law. On Friday, Thomas said in a statement that he was advised that the “personal hospitality” provided by Harlan Crow was not reportable under disclosure rules. But he said he would abide by new, tighter rules that recently took effect. As one of the most conservative justices in a conservative-heavy Supreme Court, Thomas has been a lightning rod for liberals who have been frustrated by his rulings and his tone. Just last summer, Thomas sparked an uproar on the heels of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which established the right to abortion. Amid outrage among Democrats in Congress, Thomas said Supreme Court precedents protecting rights to contraception, same-sex intimacy and gay marriage ought to be reconsidered in future cases. Thomas, only the second Black justice to serve on the highest U.S. court, is known for not shying away from controversy, despite an almost Sphinx-like demeanor during Supreme Court sessions. Unlike most of his fellow justices, he is known for rarely taking part in aggressive questioning of lawyers arguing cases. He has long rankled civil rights activists for his opposition to affirmative action in college admissions and hiring practices. But nowhere was his steely constitution more on display than during his 1991 confirmation hearings conducted by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The proceedings were chaired by a then-49-year-old Democratic senator named Joe Biden. Anita Hill, a Black law school professor who previously had worked for Thomas at the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accused Thomas of workplace sexual harassment. The all-white Judiciary Committee at the time pressed Hill on her testimony, forcing her to provide lurid details in nationally-televised hearings. Thomas fought back, calling the proceedings “a circus” and “a national disgrace,” adding that he was the victim of “a high-tech lynching for uppity Blacks.” In the end, the Senate confirmed Thomas in what was then an unusually close vote of 52-48. Now, 32 years into his tenure and approaching former Justice William Douglas’ longevity record of over 36 years on the bench, Thomas finds himself at the center of multiple controversies. In addition to the ProPublica allegations, he is being urged to recuse himself from any potential cases involving former President Donald Trump’s activities leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters trying to stop the formal certification of Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. Since November 2020, Trump, who is running for president in 2024, has falsely claimed he was the victim of massive voter fraud that helped Biden. Thomas was the lone dissenting voice in January 2022 when the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s request to block the release of White House records sought by the congressional committee probing the Jan. 6 attack. In September 2022, Thomas’ wife, conservative activist Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, met with the committee and reiterated her belief that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, the panel’s chairperson, Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, told reporters. She was called after the Washington Post and CBS News reported that she had urged Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows to work to overturn the 2020 election results. Ginni Thomas has previously denied any conflict of interest between her work as a activist and her husband’s as a judge. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Daniel Wallis) View the full article