The Iran Deal Explained With Legos

"The 109-page Iran deal is filled with complicated details about how the Persian nation must limit its stockpiles of uranium and plutonium in order to secure sanction relief from the west. We explain it in 60 seconds, using Legos."

Host Of Rubio Fundraiser Once Worked For Gambian Dictator Yahya Jammeh

Josh Israel reports at Think Progress:

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who announced last month that he will seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, will hold a campaign fundraiser on Wednesday with an array of Washington lobbyists. One of the lobbyists co-hosting the event (and helping to raise money for Rubio) is BGR Group principal Jennifer Lukawski. She recently served as the registered foreign agent for a western African regime known for its human rights abuses, including repeated threats to behead gay people. In April 2013, BGR Government Affairs LLC and the then-Secretary General of The Gambia signed a contract. In exchange for $45,000 a month (plus expenses), BGR agreed to “advocate and help build support for increased political and economic assistance from government and non-governmental organizations for The Gambia’s adolescent and adult female education programs. BGR may provide guidance and counsel on other issues from time to time as required.” Several weeks later, Jennifer Lukawski informed the Department of Justice that she would be lobbying for The Gambia pursuant to that deal. The arrangement continued until that December.

Last week Gambian president Yahya Jammeh vowed to "slit the throats" of gay men, prompting a denouncement from US National Security Adviser Susan Rice. Neither Rubio nor Lukawski, a former Heritage Foundation staffer, have responded to the Think Progress report. (Tipped by JMG reader John)

What Would You Say To Justice Scalia?

Yesterday Think Progress reporter Igor Volsky asked demonstrators at the Supreme Court what they would say if stuck in an elevator with Justice Antonin Scalia.

Chick-Fil-A Slashes Anti-Gay Donations

According to newly-released 2012 tax documents, Chick-Fil-A ended nearly all of its corporate donations to anti-gay groups at the same time that homophobic statements from the company's CEO became national headlines.  Via Josh Israel at Think Progress:

A year after nearly doubling its anti-LGBT giving, Chick-fil-A’s WinShape Foundation apparently reversed course in 2012, eliminating nearly all its grantmaking. Its separate Chick-fil-A Foundation made about $120,000 in grant donations, including about $25,000 to the anti-LGBT Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Between 2010 and 2011, Chick-fil-A’s corporate foundations increased their grants to anti-LGBT groups like the Marriage & Family Foundation and the National Christian Foundation, from $1.9 million to more than $3.6 million. Neither of these organizations received a penny in 2012, according to the foundations’ 2012 Form 990s, publicly available tax documents filed by non-profit organizations. The foundations’ overall spending was roughly even, meaning more of its efforts were focused on its own programs. But the drop from $3,623,938 to $25,390 in anti-LGBT donations represented a reduction of more than 99.2 percent.

Think Progress notes that Chick-Fil-A's corporate giving was slashed for all outside groups, not just for the anti-gay organizations.

Paul Ryan Endorses Gay Adoption

At a Wisconsin town hall meeting, Rep. Paul Ryan said that while he still opposes same-sex marriage, he now supports gay adoption. Rebecca Leber and Zack Ford have the scoop at Think Progress:

Confronted by an audience member about his anti-LGBT voting record — Ryan earned a “zero percent” score on gay rights from the Human Rights Campaign — the House Budget Committee chairman admitted that gays and lesbians could provide a loving home to “orphans.” In 1999, Ryan voted against adoption for same-sex couples in the District of Columbia, but said he would vote differently today.

Ryan went on to restate his support for ENDA, although Think Progress notes that he initially lobbied against an early version that was trans-inclusive before voting for for the weakened 1997 bill. Hit the link for more.