News: Honduras, Tom DeLay, Chicago, R-71, Jude Law, Saturn

Anti-gay right now targeting Chai Feldblum, President Obama's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) nominee.

Anti-gay Chicago police officer Richard Fiorito (accused in 21 federal suits of trumping up bogus charges against gay and lesbian motorists) busted by dash cam: "In dash cam video from Fiorito's squad car, he is shown conducting field sobriety tests against a driver, Michael Vaughn. In each of the tests, Vaughn performed 'perfectly...yet Fiorito noted in the official report that Vaughn had failed them."

WATCH: Tom DeLay performs the Samba with stress fractures on both feet (he says).

The Advocate talks to Rep. Patrick Murphy about gays in the military.

The fashion police are watching Jake Gyllenhaal's every move.

Jude Law takes New York stage in Hamlet. Review.

Disney gone beefcake.

Boston DJ Barry Scott wants new trial in unnecessary force case against Provincetown police.

Poll: R-71 has narrow lead in Washington state: "Among men, the measure is rejected by a 4-point margin; among women, it is approved by 12 points — a 16-point gender gap. 72% of Republicans say they will vote to reject; 72% of Democrats say they will vote to approve; independents reject by a 13-point margin. In Metro Seattle, the measure is approved by 18 points; in Eastern Washington, it is rejected by 18 points. Western Washington voters outside of Metro Seattle are more divided, with an 8-point margin voting against the referendum."

Welsh-based Muslim actor takes on gay role in new film, Colonial Gods: "I am a Muslim but I approached the project in a professional manner, as I hope most actors would."

Mad Men's Bryan Batt denies he's getting married.

More sickening speech from Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), this time on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

Elizabeth Taylor to undergo heart surgery.

UK conservative Tory party throws gay club night: "Protesters gathered outside with placards reading 'Queers against Tories', outraged that the party had crashed Manchester’s gay scene. Inside, hundreds packed two dancefloors and a roof terrace."

Turkey shuts down gay and lesbian internet communities: "The Web sites have more than 200,000 members combined. According to its administrators and members, the sites do not contain any pornographic or criminal content. The directorate blocked the sites without providing any information to the owners or issuing a demand to take down certain content, site mangers said, calling the action unlawful and arbitrary."

Massive ring discovered around Saturn.

LGBT people at greater risk in Honduras following coup: "Groups that were vulnerable to human rights abuses before the coup face even more risk now. Since the coup, for example, there have been six murders of gay men or transvestites, according to gay rights groups. Until 2008, the average number of such killings each year was three to six."

T.R. Knight receives standing O at Parade opening.

Volunteers hit Maine to campaign for marriage equality: "A No on 1 coordinator Darlene Huntress says the campaign initially was asking Mainers to take time off from their jobs to volunteer. 'Then we started getting you know hundreds of calls and e-mails from folks around the country who  also feel invested in this and we sort of folded our Maine volunteer vacation program and kind of extended it out to other folks in the country that wanted to come and help.' Huntress says that out-of-staters make up just a tiny fraction of the 1,000-plus volunteers on the ground, but that the campaign can use all the help it can."

AC360: Dan Choi and Elaine Donnelly Face off on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Anderson Cooper took on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" last night, hosting discharged former Lt. Dan Choi and anti-gay crusader Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness. 

As you may remember, Donnelly is the right-wing bigot nutjob assigned to this case. She dutifully brings up the 1,000 signatures of anti-gay retired military officers she presented last March to argue her case.

Responds Choi: "You can go to senior citizens center all the time and collect all the signatures you want, but they are so detached from reality. Those soldiers that are on the ground right now, they know people that are gay in their units...You can spend all the time that you want getting these petitions. But there are gay and lesbian soldiers that are serving right now. They don't have time to collect petitions like you do. And they are serving so they can protect your freedoms, so you can actually say the things that you're doing."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Patrick Murphy to Hold Special Order Hour on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) will hold a special order hour on the floor of the House today  to speak about the negative impact of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the need to repeal it, according to his office"

"Congressman Murphy is the lead sponsor of H.R. 1283, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a bill that would replace DADT with a policy of nondiscrimination throughout every branch of the services. There are currently 176 cosponsors on the bill. Rep. Murphy will be joined by a number of his colleagues on the floor of the House. Special order speeches allow Members of the House of Representatives to speak on any topic they wish for periods of time reserved in advance."

Murphy's speech is scheduled to take place around 9pm (and will be broadcast via C-SPAN) but the time is subject to change.

Murphy, an Iraq war vet, took the lead in advancing legislation to repeal the ban when Rep. Ellen Tauscher moved to a position at the State Dept.

Towleroad readers may also remember Murphy's thrashing of the anti-gay Center for Military Readiness' Elaine Donnelly at hearings before the House Armed Services Committee in July 2008. If not, I've re-posted it, AFTER THE  JUMP...

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #524

REP. PATRICK MURPHY: Pam Spaulding interviews the sponsor of legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" at Netroots Nation.

FLASH MOB: Swedish dance group Bounce makes a surprise appearance at an amusement park.

TRANSSEXUALS: Offer some answers.

LIZA MINNELLI: Her recent appearance on Craig Ferguson's late night show.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Murphy on Repealing DADT: "Now Is the Time to Make It Happen"

Last night, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) explained to Rachel Maddow his decision to sponsor legislation to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

"It's our job now to act with a sense of urgency to make it happen," he said. He told Maddow that he agrees with President Obama's decision not to suspend the policy in advance of Congress sending him a bill to sign, drawing comparisons to President Bush's unilateral decisions.

He reports having support from his colleagues, but does say some representatives of conservative districts will not co-sponsor the bill even if they've privately assured him they'd vote for it.

As for his reasoning in opposing DADT, this Iraq War vet argues:

"When you're in Baghdad in 138-degree heat like I was exactly six years ago, when you're [looking at] the guys to your left and your right or that young women to your left or your right, the fact is you don't care what their sexual orientation is, you don't care what their race is, their religion is, their creed is—you care if they can fire an assault rife, if they can kick down a door, that's what this is about. And that's why we need to repeal this, because now is the time to make it happen."

Video after the jump...

HRC & Servicemembers United Launch "Voices of Honor" Tour to Repeal DADT

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Servicemembers United announced today a national "Voices of Honor" Tour to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), a former West Point professor and Iraq War vet, is the lead sponsor of legislation to repeal the unpopular policy that bars LGBT people from serving openly in the United States armed services.

Murphy said, in part:

"Our president, President Barack Obama, has stated that If Congress can get a bill to his desk repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, he will sign it into law. It is now our job, and my job specifically, to quarterback this through the Congress of the United States to do just that. I can not tell you today how long it's gonna take. All I can tell ya is that paratroopers don't quit, and paratroopers get the job done. To remove  honorable, talented and committed Americans from serving in our military is contrary to the values that our military holds dear."

Video of Murphy's speech after the jump.

"Voices of Honor" will make stops in Philadelphia; Trenton; Virginia Beach; Phoenix; Kansas City, MO; Orlando and Tampa and will feature former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, the first American soldier injured in Iraq, among others. CNN points out that some of those involved were chosen because they're straight, as outreach to other straight soldiers.