National
Gay military group excluded from White House event
W.H. official says ‘Don’t Ask’ must be repealed first
A gay military group is accusing the White House of excluding the organization from an event intended to highlight U.S. service members and their families.
For the Tuesday event — in which first lady Michelle Obama and second lady Jill Biden were set to launch the “Joining Forces” campaign to focus attention on the struggles of military families — the White House invited service members and representatives from other military groups.
Alex Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, told the Washington Blade his group was denied access to the event, even though his group had been lobbying for participation.
“For two weeks now, they’ve refused to give any representative of gay families and service members a slot at this event that’s supposed to honor all service members and military families,” Nicholson said.
Nicholson said he met last week with White House officials on possible participation and was given “excuse after excuse” as a reason for why his group couldn’t take part.
According to Nicholson, White House officials said veterans’ groups wouldn’t be able to attend. However, these groups — such as Iraq/Afganistan Veterans of America — in fact participated in the event.
Further, Nicholson said he was reminded “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is still being enforced, so gay service members who were in attendance could be in danger of discharge.
“When we pointed out that we — like the other straight organizations that are going to be there — would be happy to use an organizational staff member to represent them — somebody who’s not subject to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ — they it changed to, ‘Well, this event’s not about veterans, it’s about service members and families,” Nicholson said.
Kristina Schake, communications director for the first lady, confirmed that gay military groups were unable to participate at the “Joining Forces” event, but said the administration would work with them more after “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is off the books.
“The president has been crystal clear that the administration is moving forward with the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ quickly and efficiently,” Schake said. “However, it still remains the law. The White House, including the first lady and Dr. Biden, look forward to working with the families of gay and lesbian service members after certification occurs and repeal goes into effect.”
In December, President Obama signed a bill allowing for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” However, repeal won’t go into effect until the president, the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that the U.S. military is ready for repeal and 60 days pass after that action.
Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, similarly said exclusion of gay military groups from the White House event was appropriate at this time.
“We believe that the first lady and the White House could have been putting gay and lesbian service members at risk to include them in this week’s events before ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal is complete,” Sarvis said. “Our primary concern remains protecting the lives and careers of gays and lesbians serving our country honorably while we await certification and repeal that will allow them to do it openly and without fear of discharge.”
An informed source said SLDN wasn’t seeking involvement in the “Joining Forces” event. Nicholson said to his knowledge Servicemembers United was the only gay organization asking to participate.
Nicholson speculated that the White House excluded his organization from the event because of “lingering political homophobia.”
“I think they’re afraid to mix the gays with the straight military and veteran crowd right now,” Nicholson said. “There’s just no logical excuse why they would have to exclude a civilian representative of gay military families and service members from an event at which our counterparts are going to be represented in full force in the straight community.”
During a news conference on Tuesday, the Washington Times’ Kara Rowland asked White House Press Secretary Jay Carney whether the administration had “missed an opportunity” by excluding gay military groups from the “Joining Forces” event. Carney said he didn’t immediately have an answer.
“If you want, I can take this question, but I think you’re conflating here a couple of things,” Carney said. “But why don’t I take that and get back to you.”
Arizona
Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead
Tucson police investigating double murder-suicide as a hate crime
Three people were fatally shot outside a gay bar in Tucson, Ariz., early Monday morning, about a mile from the city’s nightlife district.
Police have said the shooting, which took place in the parking lot of Venture-N bar at 1239 N. 6th Ave., was likely a hate crime and a double murder-suicide following a verbal altercation.
The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, allegedly shot Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara while they were outside the club around 12:30 a.m. Monday.
Reports show Capara and Siqueiros were pronounced dead at the scene. Ceesay died after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.
Police have also said that Ceesay was carrying a list of LGBTQ businesses at the time of the shooting.
Arizona Public Media has said police are investigating the case as a hate crime because the suspect was carrying a note containing the names of multiple LGBTQ-associated businesses.
“I am deeply saddened that another senseless loss of life has happened in our community,” Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said in a statement. “Bias-based crimes are especially heinous and have no place in our community.”
According to Prieto, there is no imminent threat to the community, and the Tucson Police Department is working to provide extra protection to various LGBTQ businesses across town.
Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the act of violence, which appears to have been at least in part motivated by homophobia.
“I am disgusted and deeply saddened to learn of a targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community, Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, at the Venture-N bar in Tucson last night. This horrific attack is a painful reminder that even in welcoming communities like Tucson, hate and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community still exist.”
“When that hate is combined with easy access to firearms, the consequences can be deadly. I am sick and tired of Congress refusing to lift a finger to protect our communities while, every day, dozens of people are shot and killed across the country. It does not have to be this way. The House of Representatives is returning to session this week, and our first action should be passing common-sense gun safety reforms that we know can save lives.”
Other federal lawmakers also condemned the shooting.
The Congressional Equality Caucus, which is made up of federal legislators advancing LGBTQ interests, issued a statement after news broke.
“Our hearts are with the friends and loved ones of the victims of this devastating attack outside a Tucson gay bar and with the Tucson LGBTQI+ community,” it said on X. “No one should fear violence because of who they are — and we’re going to continue fighting to build a world where no one does.”
The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ organization in the country, released a statement following the shooting.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara and our hearts are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Tucson LGBTQ+ community. Once again, we are reminded that gun violence robs people of their lives, destroys families, and devastates communities.”
A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park in North Tucson.
Congress
HRC president campaigns for Chris Pappas in NH
Gay congressman running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson on Sunday campaigned for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in New Hampshire.
Robinson traveled to Manchester, the state’s largest city, nine days before the Sept. 8 primary that will determine who will vie for retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)’s seat.
We’re hitting the pavement across New Hampshire to fight for a freer, fairer future for everyone.
Glad to have Human Rights Campaign President @KelleyJRobinson join us for a canvass launch in Manchester today. pic.twitter.com/XWCEaQxy4o
— Chris Pappas (@ChrisPappasNH) August 30, 2026
Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003-2009, will face off against former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 2010-2013, in the Republican primary.
Karishma Manzur is among the Democrats challenging Pappas.
A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released on Aug. 26 shows Sununu is ahead of Brown. The same survey shows Pappas ahead of Manzur and his other Democratic challengers.
The UNH Survey Center poll shows Sununu ahead of Pappas by a 45-43 percent margin if they were to face off in the general election. The margin of error is +/-2.1 percent.
Pappas would become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate if he were to win in November.
National
Milo Yiannopoulos deported to UK
ICE arrested far-right provocateur in New Orleans on Thursday
Editor’s note: The Department of Homeland Security on Saturday said Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported to the U.K.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday arrested far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.
A DHS spokesperson in a statement sent to the Washington Blade said ICE arrested Yiannopoulos, who they described as “an illegal alien from the United Kingdom,” at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
The DHS spokesperson said Yiannopoulos “legally entered the country” in New York on May 14, 2019.
“He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws,” said the spokesperson.
The DHS spokesperson said an immigration judge on July 22 “issued a final order of removal” for Yiannopoulos “after failing to show up for his immigration hearing.” The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans on Friday reported Yiannopoulos is being held at an ICE detention center in Alexandria, La., which is about 200 miles northwest of the Crescent City.
“He will remain in ICE custody pending removal,” said the DHS spokesperson.
Yiannopoulos has, among other things, repeatedly targeted transgender people and Muslims.
The American Conservative Union, which organizes the annual Conversative Political Action Conference, in 2017 disinvited Yiannopoulos from speaking at that year’s CPAC after a video in which he appeared to condone sex between adults and underage boys emerged. Yiannopoulos subsequently resigned from Breitbart News, a far-right news website, where he had been a senior editor.
Yiannopoulos later that year married his boyfriend in Hawaii. The far-right provocateur in 2021 claimed he was an “ex-gay.”
The Australian government in 2019 banned Yiannopoulos from entering the country “on character grounds.” Yiannopoulos was also banned from Facebook, Twitter (now X), and other social media platforms.

The Times-Picayune reported Yiannopoulos “most recently worked for” Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.
The controversial rapper is scheduled to perform in New Orleans on Friday.
Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who is close to President Donald Trump, has called for Yiannopoulos’s deportation. Loomer on Friday wrote on X that she “reported him to ICE and the FBI” after he “called for me to be assassinated.”
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