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Comings & Goings
Brett Ries, lawyer and drag artist, fights for First Amendment
The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].
The Comings & Goings column also invites LGBTQ+ college students to share their successes with us. If you have been elected to a student government position, gotten an exciting internship, or are graduating and beginning your career with a great job, let us know so we can share your success.
Congratulations to Brett Ries honored by the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, winning their Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition for his soon-to-be-published article, “Don’t Be a Drag: How Drag Bans Can Violate the First Amendment.”
Ries said, “I am honored to be the winner of this competition, and to have increasing visibility for queer people in the political and legal fields.”
Washington, D.C. attracts interesting people and one of them is this South Dakota native. He is blessed with good looks, talent, and brains, and has committed to using all those attributes to benefit the LGBTQ community. Ries is a drag artist and graduate of Duke Law School. He is a politician and writer.
He first spent time in D.C. as an intern with Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), where he assisted in researching and drafting of a bipartisan resolution honoring the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. He spent time in D.C. as a summer intern with Williams and Connelly, LLC, one of the nation’s top law firms. He will now join the firm fulltime.
I met Ries recently and talked with him about his career and hopes for the future; his upcoming work in the law and his hopes to continue working as a drag performer. He told me “As a drag artist, the recent attacks on drag hit especially close to home. Drag is educational, entertaining, and expressive. It is not criminal, dangerous, or immoral.” He added, “I want to be part of the fight we must keep fighting, to protect our community. My hope is my research and recent TEDx talk can contribute to that fight.” I urge everyone to take a few moments to listen to his Tedx talk.
Highlights of his young life include: running a grassroots campaign in 2018 for the South Dakota State Legislature while still a full-time college student; and leading an executive team of youth, ages 18-24, teaching them how to canvass. Based on those accomplishments he was featured in a CNN article, radio interviews, and gave motivational talks in South Dakota high schools. After starting law school, he worked with OutLaw, as director of advocacy. He is a published author and his publications include, “Not Up For Deliberation: Expanding the Peña-Rodriguez Protection To Cover Jury Bias Against LGBTQ+ Individuals;” and “Looking Backward to Move Forward: Ending the ‘History and Tradition’ of Gun Violence Against the LGBTQ+ Community.”
He also worked as a legal intern in the office of the U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York, and is a trained theatrical performer. He was raised on a farm and is a first-generation college student. During the pandemic he organized a local LGBTQ march in his hometown, and worked with the mayor on LGBTQ issues. He has appeared on the HBO show, “We’re Here.”
Ries earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice & Political Science, and a minor in Theatre from the University of South Dakota, graduating summa cum laude. His thesis was, “The Relationship Between LGBTQ+ Representation on the Political and Theatrical Stages.” He earned his Juris Doctor from the Duke University School of Law.
Maryland
Vogel finishes second in primary race for Trone’s congressional seat
Gay Maryland lawmaker lost to April McClain Delaney
GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Gay Maryland state Del. Joe Vogel (D-Montgomery County) on Tuesday finished second in the Democratic primary for Congressman David Trone’s seat.
Vogel lost to April McClain Delaney by a 39.2-26.7 percent margin with 52 percent of the votes counted.
The Montgomery County Democrat spoke to supporters at the South House Garden in Gaithersburg after he conceded to Delaney.
“I wished her well and pledged that I will do everything in my power and nature that we hold this seat in November, elect a Democratic senator in November and re-elect President Joe Biden,” said Vogel.
Vogel was born in Uruguay. He would have been the first Latino, the first gay man and first Gen Zer elected to Congress from Maryland if he would have won in November.
Delaney will face Republican Neil Parrott, an anti-LGBTQ former member of the Maryland House of Delegates, in November.
Maryland
Alsobrooks defeats Trone in Md. Senate primary
Prince George’s County executive to face Larry Hogan in November
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks on Tuesday defeated Congressman David Trone in the Democratic primary to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.).
Alsobrooks defeated Trone by 53.8-42.1 percent margin. She will face Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan in November.
“On Nov. 5, 2024, we are going to defeat Larry Hogan, keep Maryland blue, and keep our Senate under Democratic control,” said Alsobrooks on her X account after she defeated Trone.
Vice President Kamala Harris, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), U.S. Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.) and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser are among those who congratulated Alsobrooks.
“Tonight we celebrate, and tomorrow we keep fighting to get her elected as Maryland’s next U.S. senator in November,” said Robinson on her X account.
Virginia
Man convicted of murder in Fairfax was propositioned by male victim
Defendant faces possible 40-year prison term
A Fairfax County Circuit Court jury on May 9 found a 31-year-old man guilty of second-degree murder for the June 10, 2023, stabbing death of a Fairfax City, Va., man after the man propositioned him for sex, according to a statement released by the Office of the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney.
The statement says Aaron Robertson had been charged with killing Luis Barahona Reyes, 50, in an apparent act of revenge after the two men got off a bus in Fairfax City and Barahona Reyes asked Robertson if he would like to engage in sex.
“Robertson and Mr. Barahona Reyes were unknown to each other when they got off the same bus on Draper Street in Fairfax City around 11 p.m. on the night of June 9, 2023,” the statement says. “After a brief conversation, Robertson lured Mr. Barahona Reyes to a parking lot behind 9715 Fairfax Blvd, where Robertson knocked the victim unconscious,” the statement continues.
“Robertson later returned to the scene in the early morning hours of June 10, where he proceeded to beat, stab, and eventually kill Mr. Barahona Reyes,” it says. “Robertson then left and returned a third time to clean up the scene and try to dispose of the victim’s body.”
The statement adds, “Substantial forensic evidence introduced at trial connected Robertson to the murder, including the victim’s blood on his shoes and Robertson’s own DNA under the victim’s fingernails.”
It notes that additional evidence linking Robertson to the murder was obtained from surveillance camera footage and witness accounts from nearby Wawa and 7-Eleven stores showing him entering and leaving the stores multiple times to wash his hands.
“Prosecutors argued that Robertson attacked and killed the victim because Mr. Barahona Reyes propositioned Robertson for sex in their first encounter after getting off the bus,” the statement says.
“I’m personally dismayed this type of crime could happen in this day and age, especially in a community like Fairfax County that prides itself on being welcoming,” said Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano in the statement. “Mr. Barahona Reyes’ death is tragic, and the fact that he may have been killed for his sexuality only further adds to the injustice,” he said.
Robertson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26 and faces up to 40 years in prison for the second-degree murder conviction.
The Washington Post reports that during Robertson’s trial, a portion of a recording of a confession that Robertson gave to Fairfax City police was played in court. The Post reports that Robertson stated in his confession that after he returned to the scene where he had knocked Barahona Reyes unconscious, Barahona Reyes “slowly got up,” pulled out a knife and lunged at Robertson.
It was at that time, Robertson said in his confession, he became fearful of his life and was able to grab the knife away from Barahona Reyes and stabbed him multiple times, slammed his head on the ground, and strangled him, according to the Post’s story on the trial and conviction.
The Post story adds that Robertson’s attorney urged the jury, based on what he said was Robertson’s fear for his life, to hand down a verdict of manslaughter rather than first-degree murder as requested by prosecutors. As it turned out, the jury handed down a lesser but still serious verdict of second-degree murder.
Vogel finishes second in primary race for Trone’s congressional seat
Alsobrooks defeats Trone in Md. Senate primary
FBI warns of potential threats to Pride Month events
Ugandan president meets with US ambassador
Man convicted of murder in Fairfax was propositioned by male victim
Trump vows to reverse transgender student protections ‘on day one’
South African president signs new hate crimes, hate speech law
Target limits Pride Month collection sales
Proposed Medicaid rule may hurt people with HIV
