MISSOURI: "Ex-Gay" Candidate For Gov Says He's Overcome "Sexual Confusion"

"Through the years, I have publicly spoken about being abused as a child and the confusion this caused me as a teenager. There are literally thousands of Missourians who will understand how heartbreaking childhood abuse can be - though few might be willing to acknowledge it. I have put the childhood abuse, and the teenage confusion behind me. What others intended for harm has resulted in untold good. I have overcome, and will not allow evil to win.  There are people who to this day try to turn politics into a blood sport. This sort of approach discourages many good people from public service. While it is disappointing, I will have no fear of those who wish to tear down others for their gain. I will have no part of it. My faith in a loving and just God has helped to guide my approach with people. There are those who constantly seek to divide us, but I am committed to renewing the Spirit of Missouri and bringing people together with sensible conservative solutions." - Missouri state Sen. Bob Dixon, reacting to this weekend's report that he identifies as "ex-gay."  (Tipped by JMG reader Scott)

RELATED: Dixon's mother, former Missouri state Rep. Jean Dixon, is an anti-gay crusader who used her son's "ex-gay" identity in her battle against a 1989 local production of The Normal Heart. She says she would fight any attempt to stage the play today.

MISSOURI: "Ex-Gay" Runs For Governor

Missouri state Sen. Bob Dixon, who claims to be "ex-gay," has announced his bid for governor.

He didn't elaborate at the time, but it's been a long journey up to this point for Dixon, 46, who reportedly once lived as a gay man until a spiritual epiphany turned him straight. Dixon himself spoke about his history with homosexuality at a Springfield city council meeting in 1991, according to a report in the Springfield News-Leader. Then in his early twenties, Dixon claimed that he'd lived as homosexual for five years until an undefined "religious experience" in October, 1988. Dixon's mother, former state representative Jean Dixon, told the newspaper that her son's "struggles" with homosexuality nearly led him to suicide that same month. Her son's ordeal, she said, informed her opposition to Missouri State University's 1989 production of The Normal Heart, a play that deals unflinchingly with the AIDS crisis. "It had been a heartache I had to deal with, and it was a tough one," Jean Dixon told the News-Leader of her son's gay lifestyle.

According to the Missouri Times, Dixon is willing to consider a bill to include LGBT citizens in anti-discrimination laws. Dixon: "I think the wise thing to do about any legislation is to wait until I see it before me. I think it's a sad day when we have to have laws to tell us to treat people with respect."

RELATED: Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will be term-limited out of office next year. Attorney General Chris Koster, also a Democrat, is considered the front-runner.

Former College Wrestler Sentenced To 30 Years For "Reckless" HIV Transmission

Via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

A former Lindenwood University wrestler was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison for recklessly infecting one sex partner with HIV and risking the infection of four others. Jurors in May had found Michael L. Johnson, 23, guilty of five felony charges after testimony that included experts in infectious diseases and the men who had unprotected sex with him. One of the men contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. St. Charles County Circuit Judge Jon Cunningham, who issued the sentence, told Johnson he had committed “very severe” crimes. Prosecutors said he didn’t tell the partners he had HIV. “The main thing is the profound effect your actions have had on the victims and their families,” the judge said.

Johnson, once the state wrestling champion, was expelled after being charged in the case. Several major LGBT rights groups have long argued for the decriminalization of HIV transmission, citing both the advances in treatment and the responsibilities of the complainants.

UPDATE: Activists are outraged.

Mayo Schreiber, Deputy Director of The Center for HIV Law and Policy and a long-time criminal defense attorney, pointed out, "The criminal statute that Michael Johnson was convicted of violating was originally passed in 1988, at a time when HIV was considered a 'death sentence.' Today, with proper treatment, HIV is a chronic, manageable disease and those with HIV can expect to live a full, healthy life. Yet violation of the Missouri law is a class A felony, with a sentencing range of 10-30 years or life imprisonment. Other class A felonies include murder or child abandonment resulting in death. Punishing Michael Johnson as if he is a murderer because state officials have failed to address a severely outdated, irrational criminal law is not only fundamentally unfair, it is barbaric."

Dr. Jeffrey Birnbaum, a nationally-recognized adolescent HIV expert, and founder and director of the Health and Education Alternatives for Teens (HEAT), a treatment and prevention center for adolescents and young adults, expressed sadness and concern at the outcome of Mr. Johnson's case. Dr. Birnbaum stressed, "HIV criminal laws have no positive impact on the spread of HIV. Sentencing people living with HIV to prison for having sex will, based on decades of HIV clinical experience, only drive people away from health centers where they can learn their HIV status and get the medical care they need."

MISSOURI: Dent County To Observe Year Of Mourning Over Obergefell Ruling

Via the Salem News:

The Dent County Commission voted unanimously Monday to observe one year of "mourning” over the Supreme Court’s June 26 decision that gay couples have the constitutional right to marriage. The observance will come in the form of lowering the flags at the Dent County Courthouse and Judicial Building to below half-staff on the 26th day of the month from July 2015 to June 2016. The vote came after Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles filed a letter into the public record protesting, “the U.S. high court’s stamp of approval of what God speaks of as an abomination.” The letter details Skiles’ opposition to gay marriage and proposes lowering of the flags so “all who see these flags at this lowered position be reminded of this despicable Supreme Court travesty,” he wrote.

Dent County has a population of about 16K. (Tipped by JMG reader Michael)

MISSOURI: Gov. Jay Nixon Orders All State Agencies To Comply With Obergefell

Yes, he's a Democrat:

Nixon says the order makes clear that local governments must comply with the ruling as well. One Missouri county, Schuyler, is still not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Nixon also called again on the Missouri legislature to pass the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act, which would bar discrimination against LGBT Missourians in employment, housing, and public accommodations. “Same-sex couples now have the right to get married, but here in Missouri, individuals can still be fired for being gay. That’s wrong, it’s not who we are, and it must change,” Nixon said.

MISSOURI: Former College Wrestler Found Guilty Of Reckless HIV Transmission

Steven Thrasher reports at Buzzfeed:

Michael Johnson, the HIV positive former college wrestler better known as “Tiger Mandingo,” faces life in prison after being found guilty today of one count of recklessly infecting a partner with HIV, one count of attempting to recklessly infect a partner with HIV, and three counts of recklessly exposing partners to HIV. “They’ve paid their price,” prosecutor Philip Groenweghe said of Johnson’s partners during closing arguments. As for Johnson, he asked the jury: “What price shall he pay?” The story of Johnson’s case, and the way in which it became both a media flashpoint and a morality tale, was the subject of a BuzzFeed News investigation last year. Following a three day trial, the jury reached a decision after just two hours of deliberation. Johnson’s mother, Tracy Johnson, was in attendance as the verdict was read, as was Dylan King Lemons, Johnson’s former partner, who testified that he went to police when he noticed that the HIV-positive Johnson was on gay hookup apps.

Health workers testified that they informed Johnson of his HIV status and warned him that failure to disclose is a felony in Missouri. Six of Johnson's partners testified that that he did not disclose to them and those claims were refuted by Johnson. One of Johnson's accusers admitted that he had unprotected sex with him for a second time even after confronting him about his status. Johnson faces a minimum of ten years in prison. He will be sentenced today. Hit the link for much more.

Married Anti-Gay Missouri GOP House Speaker Busted For Sexting With College Freshman: "I'll Leave You Quivering"

Earlier this year the Missouri affiliate of the Family Research Council celebrated GOP House Speaker John Diehl after he filed an anti-gay marriage amicus brief with the Eighth Circuit Court. Today the FRC is very, very quiet after the opposite-married Diehl was busted for sexting with a barely legal college intern. Via the Kansas City Star:

The conversations unveil a flirty rapport and suggest an intimacy between arguably the state’s most influential lawmaker and a young woman taking some pleasure in a secret association. The texts show occasional efforts by Diehl and the intern to meet in person. They range from mundane chatter, about boring meetings and dreading speeches, to the more sexually suggestive. Diehl declined to comment. The intern, who has hired an attorney specializing in employment matters, told The Star that the text messages were not real. Meantime, she has told confidants that she had an ongoing relationship with Diehl. Multiple sources helped The Star confirm that the screenshots of the texts, which show Diehl’s business cellphone number, originated from the intern’s smartphone. The text conversations also included photographs of each of them. And others who know Diehl well said they recognized the language and tone of the conversations from their own text exchanges with him.

The unnamed freshman attends Missouri Southern State University, which has abruptly canceled its internship program with the state government. Diehl and his wife of 23 years have three children and his eldest son attends West Point. Diehl last appeared on JMG when he sponsored a bill to ban gay-straight alliance clubs in public schools. (Via Right Wing Watch)

Eighth Circuit Court Punts On All Cases

"On the court's own motion, oral arguments and any further consideration of these cases will be deferred pending the Supreme Court of the Unites States' decisions in James Obergefell v Richard Hodges."

Eighth Circuit Court Sets May 12th Details For Marriage Cases Out Of Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, & South Dakota

It seems unlikely that we'd get a decision before the Supreme Court. But we've been surprised many times.

MISSOURI: Springfield Voters Narrowly Repeal LGBT Anti-Discrimination Law

It was a nail-biter in Springfield tonight but in the end the good guys lost.

The vote was close but Springfield voters on Tuesday rejected an anti-discrimination ordinance meant to protect gay men, lesbian women, and transgender people. The Springfield City Council added those protections to the city's anti-discrimination ordinance last October. The amendment aimed to provide protection from discrimination for gay, lesbian and transgender people in the areas of jobs, housing, and public accommodations. Those are the same protections guaranteed in the ordinance to women and people of color in Springfield. Opponents of the protections for gay, lesbian and transgender people collected petition signatures to force the City Council to either repeal the anti-discrimination amendment or to put it before voters. The City Council chose to put it on the ballot.

As always, hate groups will be doing cartwheels tomorrow.

MISSOURI: Springfield Readies For Repeal Vote On LGBT Non-Discrimination Laws

Colin Murphy reports at Boom LGBT:

Mirroring a wave of anti-equality efforts in state legislatures and cities across the nation, opponents of a recently passed LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance in Missouri's third largest city are asking voters to repeal the law on April 7. In a 6-3 vote on Oct. 13, The Springfield City Council passed City Ordinance 6141, a bill to amend the city’s current nondiscrimination ordinance by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected categories in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

But any celebration was short-lived when the following month an opposition group successfully turned in more than 2,600 signatures (the threshold is 10 percent of the votes in the most recent April municipal election) to repeal the expansion through a ballot referendum known as Question 1. Proponents of the repeal say they don't want the regulations expanding into their businesses, their churches - or their bathrooms. "We're in a battle for our children and our children's children," said Calvin Morrow, Yes on Question 1 spokesman, the Springfield News Leader reports. Morrow went on to call the ordinance an attack on Christianity.

Leading the repeal drive is local megachurch Pastor John Lindell, who says, "It is possible for someone who has been a life-long alcoholic to stop. It is possible for somebody who has a cutting tongue and a big mouth to stop. It is possible for someone who is engaged in homosexual behavior to stop." Over 100 Springfield businesses have formed a coalition in opposition to the repeal. Yesterday the anti-LGBT side posted the below testimony from a local gay man who supports the repeal of his own rights. Note the on-screen message at the end.

Ferguson Police Chief To Resign

Wikipedia Map Introduces Purple States

The editors of Wikipedia's marriage equality page today introduced purple-shaded states to reflect the "complicated" situations in Kansas, Missouri, and Alabama.

Most counties in Alabama had issued same-sex marriage licenses for several weeks after a federal court legalized same-sex marriage, but all have stopped in response to a conflicting order by the state supreme court. However, the state court did not nullify same-sex marriage recognition. Many jurisdictions in Kansas issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but same-sex marriage is not recognized by the state government. Same-sex marriage licenses are issued by three jurisdictions within Missouri. Legal same-sex marriages are recognized by the state government. The state's same-sex marriage ban has been overturned, but the decision is stayed indefinitely.

What shade of purple should we call this? Pansy?

MISSOURI: Leading GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Dies In Apparent Suicide

CNN reports:

A leading Republican candidate for Missouri's governor's office died in an apparent suicide on Thursday morning. ​Thomas Schweich, the 54-year-old state auditor who'd just won a second term while running unopposed in 2014, was pronounced deceased from a single gunshot wound, possibly self-infliction, according to a Clayton Police Department press release. Detectives are conducting an investigation and an autopsy is pending, authorities said. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said Schweich's wife, who was in another room, heard him making phone calls -- and then a gunshot. It happened just hours after Schweich had requested interviews with the Post-Dispatch and The Associated Press at his home. Missouri Republican Party Chairman John Hancock asked for prayers for Schweich's family.

An editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has posted an accounting of the phone calls made by Schweich before he made the final request for a press conference. An excerpt:

Mr. Schweich said that over the past few months he had heard from campaign donors that while political consultant John Hancock was doing work for gubernatorial candidate Catherine Hanaway, he would mention in passing that Mr. Schweich was Jewish. Mr. Schweich, who says he is an Episcopalian, said he believed the mentions of his faith heritage were intended to harm him politically in a gubernatorial primary in which many Republican voters are evangelical Christians. He said his grandfather was Jewish, and that he was very proud of his connection to the Jewish faith. He said his grandfather taught him to never allow any anti­-Semitism go unpunished, no matter how slight. Mr. Schweich said he had a donor who would confirm Mr. Hancock's comments on the record. He said he had an email from another donor mentioning the conversations.

Liberty Counsel To Eighth Circuit Court: Stop Same-Sex Marriage Because AIDS

Yesterday the Liberty Counsel filed amicus briefs with the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals in the marriage cases out of Missouri and Arkansas. Via press release:

The issue before this Court and courts across this country is whether the divine creation of natural marriage as the union of one man and one woman will be recognized by fallible judges, or whether judicial tyranny will manifest itself in print,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “The judiciary is really what is on trial in the minds of the people. Marriage is objectively a union of a man and a woman. If the people lose confidence in the courts then judges lose their authority. Those are not my words. They are the words of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O-Connor in the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey abortion opinion. Courts must rely on the executive to enforce their orders, and unlike the legislature, courts cannot make new law. The authority of courts rests upon the confidence of the people who trust judges are interpreting the law according the constitution and text under review. When judges veer too far away from this straightforward duty, the people lose confidence, and when that happens, their persuasive authority is undermined.

The briefs cite a cavalcade of crackpots including Maggie Gallagher, Mark Regnerus, and Judith Reisner. The bulk of the briefs are devoted to the position that some gay men have gotten AIDS and therefore all LGBT people are ineligible to be married. Hit the links above to see the full filings.

Eighth Circuit Court Combines Marriage Appeals From South Dakota, Arkansas, & Missouri, Sets Oral Arguments For May

MISSOURI: Eighth Circuit Denies Request To Lift Stay, Appeal By State To Continue

The Eighth Circuit Court has decided to continue Missouri's marriage case despite the coming decision by the Supreme Court. The state's request to suspend their appeal has been denied and the plaintiffs' request to the lift the stay has been denied as well. See the briefing schedule.

Marriage Cases In Flux Due To SCOTUS

Marriage equality cases in several states have seen some action since Friday's decision by the Supreme Court to hear the cases out of the Sixth Circuit Court.

North Dakota: Yesterday a federal judge put that case on indefinite hold pending the final ruling from SCOTUS. There had been no action on that case since September.

Georgia: Also yesterday the state asked that its case be suspended until SCOTUS rules. The plaintiffs have not yet filed a response to that demand.

Missouri: The state today asked the Eighth Circuit Court to put their appeal on hold until SCOTUS rules. The ACLU has already filed its opposition to that request unless the Eighth Circuit lifts its stay first. Same-sex marriage remains legal in St. Louis and is recognized statewide.

Ten days ago the Fifth Circuit Court heard oral arguments in the cases out of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Some believe that the Fifth Circuit will wait until SCOTUS rules, others say that a decision could still come at any time.

RELATED: The Mississippi Supreme Court is hearing arguments today in a gay divorce case. It's not known if that ruling could come before SCOTUS decides on its cases.

Ferguson Protesters Wed

Via Buzzfeed:

Alexis Templeton and Brittany Ferrell first met while demonstrating in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of unarmed Michael Brown and a grand jury’s subsequent decision to not indict the police officer who shot him. The two activists were married Tuesday at St. Louis City Hall — months after meeting while demonstrating in Ferguson. Both Templeton and Ferrell are prominently involved in Millenial Activists United, a youth-led organization that focuses on “educating and empowering” communities.

MISSOURI: Court Denies GOP Attempt To Stop Out-Of-State Marriage Recognition

Via the Kansas City Star:

A Jackson County judge has denied the Missouri General Assembly’s attempt to stop Kansas City from recognizing same-sex marriages from other states. Jackson County Circuit Judge J. Dale Youngs on Tuesday denied the state legislators’ motion to challenge an earlier ruling in a Jackson County case. Youngs in October declared that Missouri’s same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional for denying rights to couples legally married in other states. Republican leaders in the Missouri General Assembly recently filed a motion to appeal Youngs’ ruling to the state Supreme Court. On Tuesday, Youngs said the legislators’ deadline to try to intervene in the case had already passed and he no longer has jurisdiction of the case.

See the ruling at Equality Case Files. (Tipped by JMG reader Matthew)