Fate of immigration bill gay rights measures in doubt

WASHINGTON (CNN) — As the Senate Judiciary Committee neared completion of its consideration of comprehensive immigration reform legislation on Tuesday, it remained unclear whether the panel’s top Democrat would move forward with a pair of controversial gay rights amendments vehemently opposed by congressional Republicans. The amendments, backed by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, would recognize same-sex…

Read More

Gay rights on long list of proposed changes to immigration bill

WASHINGTON (CNN) — A top Senate Democrat has offered a pair of amendments to an immigration reform bill bolstering rights for same-sex couples, a politically risky move that threatens to shatter Republican support for the sweeping legislation. Vermont Sen. Patrick’s Leahy’s amendments would recognize same-sex marriages in which one spouse is an American, and also…

Read More

Illinois GOP chair resigns, cites support for same-sex marriage as a reason

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady resigned Tuesday, citing a handful of reasons including an ongoing struggle with several members of the state GOP over his support for same-sex marriage. “There were several reasons,” why he decided to step down, Brady said in a telephone interview with CNN. “I’ve been going at…

Read More

Margaret Thatcher: Tributes paid to ‘great leader, great Briton’

LONDON (CNN) — UK and world leaders led tributes to Britain’s “Iron Lady,” former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on Monday, with words reflecting on her passion, courage and determination — as well as her polarizing politics. “Margaret Thatcher took a country that was on its knees and made Britain stand tall again,” Prime Minister David…

Read More

Rutgers coach fired after abusive video broadcast (VIDEO)

http://youtu.be/IVoOtpDuZwA (CNN) — Rutgers University fired head basketball coach Mike Rice on Wednesday after ESPN broadcast a video showing him physically and verbally abusing players. The video, which ESPN said features excerpts of practice sessions shot between 2010 and 2012, initially had earned Rice a three-game suspension, a $75,000 fine and a ticket to anger…

Read More

Kwame Harris, Former 49er, talks to CNN about being gay in the NFL (VIDEO)

http://youtu.be/NdlPY0n2Kfo Kwame Harris, former offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders thought that revealing his homosexuality during his professional playing days would not have been “compatible” with his NFL career. “I love football. Football provided me with some experiences and some opportunities that I wouldn’t trade for anything else,” Harris told Coy…

Read More