Local
FBI investigating ‘robocall’ attacks against Graham
Abortion money loan, alleged adultery cited in the two anonymous messages
Openly gay Councilmember Jim Graham (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Federal authorities are investigating at least two separate computer generated phone messages initiated by an anonymous person or group that denounced gay D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) as being “immoral” and “wretched.”
The phone messages, known as “robocalls,” were placed to homes of Ward 1 residents on Saturday. They urged the residents not to vote for Graham in his re-election bid because, among other things, he helped pay for an abortion for the girlfriend of a former member of his staff.
“Paying to take a life is evil, especially when you weren’t even the parent,” one of the phone messages said. “Jim Grahamn is wretched, immoral and doesn’t deserve to represent us. Let’s get a decent human being to fight for our children — not kill them.”
The allegation apparently was based on a Washington City Paper story last year reporting that Graham loaned his former aide, Ted Loza, money to help pay for an abortion for his girlfriend. The City Paper said Graham confirmed the report and said Loza repaid him. Graham later dismissed Loza after a grand jury indicted him on bribery charges related to the city’s taxicab industry. Graham has not been implicated in the taxicab bribery matter, which has been the subject of a federal investigation.
“We have turned over information about the calls to local and federal authorities, including the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission,” said Chuck Theis, a spokesperson for Graham’s election committee.
Theis said the calls appear to be aimed at the sender’s opposition to abortion. The automated phone messages did not refer to Graham’s status as one of two openly gay members of Council. The second of the two robocalls accuses Graham of having committed adultery with a woman, a claim that Theis calls “ridiculous” as well as “outrageous.”
Federal law prohibits robocalls that don’t identify the individual or organization initiating the calls. Theis said phone companies routinely cooperate with local and federal authorities to help trace the calls and identify the vendor that the initiator retains to transmit the calls. The vendor is required by law to reveal the call’s initiator to the authorities.
Graham’s two opponents in the Sept. 14 Democratic primary and his Republican opponent in the November general election have each said they had nothing to do with the attack calls. GOP opponent Marc Morgan, who is gay, issued a statement calling the phone messages “a horrible political stunt” that’s unethical.
“I have personally reached out to Councilmember Graham and assured him that neither I nor anyone associated with my campaign was involved,” Morgan said. “Furthermore, I will work with the Council member to identity the responsible parties and assure they are due swift and necessary punishment.”
A gay man was murdered in Petersburg, Va., on March 13.
Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray, who was also known as Saamel and Mable, was a drag queen who won the Miss Mayflower EOY pageant in 2015. Reports also indicate Sanchez-McCray, 42, was a well-known community activist in Virginia and in North Carolina.
Local media reports indicate police officers found Sanchez-McCray shot to death inside a home in Petersburg.
Sanchez-McCray’s brother, Jamal Mitchell Diamond, in a public statement the Washington Blade received from Equality Virginia and GLAAD, said Sanchez-McCray was not transgender as initial reports indicated.
“Our family has always embraced the fullness of who he was. He used the names Saamel, Shyyell, and Mable interchangeably, and we honor all of them. There is no division within our family regarding how he is being represented — only a shared commitment to preserving his truth with love and respect,” said Diamond.
“He was also deeply committed to community work through Nationz Foundation, where he worked and completed multiple state-certified programs to support marginalized communities,” added Diamond. “That work meant a great deal to him.”
Authorities have not made any arrests.
The Petersburg Bureau of Police has asked anyone with information about Sanchez-McCray’s murder to call Petersburg-Dinwiddie Crime Solvers at 804-861-1212.
District of Columbia
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Rally on the National Mall scheduled for Saturday
The Christopher Street Project has a number of events planned for the 2026 Trans Day of Visibility, including a rally on the Mall and an “Empowerment Ball” at the Eaton Hotel. Plenaries, panel discussions and meetings with members of Congress are scheduled in the three days of programming.
Announced speakers include N.H. state Rep. Alice Wade; Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Precious Brady-Davis; activist and performer Miss Peppermint (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”); Lexington, Ky. Councilwoman Emma Curtis; Rabbi Abby Stein; D.C. activist and host Rayceen Pendarvis; Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland; among other leaders, advocates and performers.
Conference programming on Thursday and Friday includes an educational forum and a Capitol Hill policy education day. Registration for the two-day conference has closed.
The “Trans Day of Visibility PAC Reception” is scheduled for Thursday, March 26 from 7:30-9 p.m. at As You Are (500 8th St., S.E.). Special guests include Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada) and Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). Tickets are available at christopherstreetproject.org starting at $25.
The National Council of Jewish Women and the Christopher Street Project host a “Trans Day of Visibility Shabbat” on Friday, March 27 from 7-8 p.m. at Sixth & I (600 I St., N.W.). The service is to be led by Rabbi Jenna Shaw and Rabbi Abby Stein.
The “Now You See Me: Trans Empowerment Social & Ball” is scheduled for Friday, March 27 from 6-11 p.m. at the Eaton Hotel (1201 K. St., N.W.). The trans-themed drag ball is hosted by the Marsha P. Johnson Institute with support from the D.C. Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs, the Capital Ballroom Council, the Christopher Street Project, the Center for Black Equity, Generation for Common Good, and Parenting is Political. RSVP online at christopherstreetproject.org.
The National Transgender Day of Visibility Rally is scheduled for Saturday, March 28 on the National Mall at 11 a.m. The rally will include speakers and performances. Following the rally, attendees are encouraged to participate in the “No Kings” rally being held at Anacostia Park.
Virginia
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Voters in November will consider repealing marriage amendment
The Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ended on March 14.
Lawmakers have yet to approve a budget, but they did pass a resolution that paves the way for a referendum on whether to repeal the state’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Lawmakers also advanced House Bill 60, which would protect PrEP users from insurance discrimination.
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until April 13 to decide to pass, amend, or veto legislation before it goes back to the House of Delegates on April 22.
Spanberger on Feb. 6 signed the bill that sets the stage for the marriage amendment referendum. Voters will consider whether to “remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?”
Equality Virginia has been working during this legislative cycle to urge lawmakers to allocate funding towards LGBTQ rights. The budget would expand funding for schools, competency training for the 988 suicide hotline, and funding to provide gender affirming care to LGBTQ youth.
“As the budget moves through conference and the Reconvene Session approaches on April 22, Equality Virginia remains focused on ensuring our victories this session translate into durable protections,” Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Progress on marriage equality, nondiscrimination protections, and HIV care funding was essential, but Virginia must do more.”
Markwayne Mullin confirmed as next DHS secretary
Gay man murdered in Va.
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Polish court rules country must recognize same-sex marriages from EU states
Queer American in Israel discusses Iran war’s impact
‘How We Survived’ panel set for March 25
Calendar: March 21-26
Small is beautiful: subcompact SUVs
