National news in brief

(Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Target continues donations to anti-LGBT politicians

NEW YORK — According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission reported by the Awl, a New York-based web project, Target continued donating to a bevy of anti-gay politicians even after its CEO apologized and committed to reforming the review process for future political donations. The donations included some of the same anti-gay politicians the company had previously been criticized for supporting.

In August, Target President and CEO Gregg Steinhafel said, “… later this fall, Target will take a leadership role in bringing together a group of companies and partner organizations for a dialogue focused on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including LGBT issues.”

A Target spokesperson told the Awl the company is involved in “ongoing dialogue” but didn’t give details.

After the August letter, Target’s Political Action Committee recorded $41,200 in federal election activity, $31,200 of which went to anti-gay rights politicians or PACs supporting those candidates, the Awl reported. Kelly Ayotte, an anti-gay U.S. senator-elect for New Hampshire, got $1,000 as did many other anti-gay politicians, such as U.S. Rep. David Camp (R-Mich.), U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), U.S. Sen. Michael Crapo (R-Idaho), U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) and Rob Portman, U.S. senator-elect from Ohio, also an anti-gay Republican.

Two Minnesota congressmen — Republicans John Kline and Erik Paulsen whose anti-gay voting records helped incite the July outrage — again received Target money in September. Kline got the maximum donation allowed — $5,000.

Target also gave some money to LGBT rights supporters. Its PAC gave $1,000 to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and $500 to Keith Ellison, a Minnesota congressman.

The Awl said Target did not respond to its request for explanations of its recent donations.

N.C. court voids adoption involving state senator

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s highest court this week voided a state senator’s adoption of her former lesbian partner’s biological son, a move that appears to close a method for same-sex couples to adopt unless the state legislature steps in, the Associated Press reported Monday.

The state Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that the adoption of Melissa Jarrell’s son by state Sen. Julia Boseman was invalid because a Durham County District Court judge waived a requirement five years ago that Jarrell had to give up her parental rights in the process, the AP reported.

Under the adoption plan approved by the lower court, Boseman became an adoptive parent while Jarrell retained full parental rights as well.

However, Associate Justice Paul Newby wrote for the majority that the adoption never occurred in the eyes of the law because lawmakers have made clear the biological parent must terminate a legal relationship with the child. That part of the ruling favored Jarrell, who had sued to negate the adoption after the couple separated, the AP report said.

She and Boseman, North Carolina’s first openly gay member of the General Assembly, had been living together when Jarrell gave birth to Jacob in 2002.

Twenty-seven states permit second-parent adoption through state law or based on evidence in local courts.  Republicans taking charge of the state Legislature next month are considering whether to vote on a constitutional amendment that would prohibit gay marriage.

Neo-Nazi gets life in prison for murder of gay teen

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida neo-Nazi was sentenced to life in prison last week for the stabbing death of a gay teenager four years ago, Reuters reported.

John Ditullio, 24, was found guilty Dec. 15 of first degree murder in the death of Kristofer King, 17, in New Port Richey, north of St. Petersburg, in 2006.

King was at the home of Patricia Wells, 49, who was also stabbed but survived. King was a friend of Wells’ son, who was out at the time of the attack.

Wells lived next door to a mobile home used as a headquarters for the American Nazis. Wells, who is white, said she had been harassed by members of the group because she had an African-American male friend who visited her and because her son was gay.

The attacker wore a gas mask but prosecutors said blood from the crime scene was found on Ditullio’s boot.