Leaks in the Michael Brown Case are causing a Huge Stir

Last week, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch posted an article about Michael Brown's leaked autopsy report. In the article, it quotes California forensics expert Dr. Judy Melinek, claiming that Michael Brown was reaching for Darren Wilson's gun. Several news outlets covered it, even though, it’s considered propaganda. Later, the article was found inaccurate because of the way it written.

Dr. Melinek clarified that she never said the autopsy supported Darren Wilson's story. She also discussed this matter on her blog and on MSNBC. The info quickly spread on Twitter and Facebook, labeling St. Louis Post-Dispatch as instigators and liars. And apparently, this unnecessary drama didn’t sit well with AG Eric Holder.

At a news event in Los Angeles, Eric spoke about this leaked story and expressed that he was bothered by it. In fact, he said that he was "exasperated" to see leaks.

It’s clearly an attempt to change the public opinion about Darren. However, it has only created more questions on the story and who’s leaking the information.

Hopefully, this type of action and mess will force Eric and the DOJ to take the case. It doesn’t seem to be in good hands down in that area.

Attorney General Holder Announces that the Government will Recognize Marriage Equality in Six Additional States

In a press release, Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed that the federal government will recognize same-sex married couples in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Here's more

The Attorney General’s announcement means couples married in these states will now qualify for a range of federal benefits, including those administered by the Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs.

“With each new state where same-sex marriages are legally recognized, our nation moves closer to achieving of full equality for all Americans,” the Attorney General said. “We are acting as quickly as possible with agencies throughout the government to ensure that same-sex married couples in these states receive the fullest array of benefits allowable under federal law.”

In addition, the Attorney General also announced that the Department of Justice has determined it can legally recognize marriages performed in Indiana and Wisconsin this past June. These marriages were performed immediately after federal district courts ruled that those states’ bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, but subsequent developments created confusion about the status of those marriages. Based on the Attorney General’s announcement, however, those couples married during that period will now have their unions recognized by the federal government.

VIDEO: AG Eric Holder explains why the DOJ no longer defends DOMA

AG Eric Holder talks about Arizona's SB 1070 on "Face The Nation"

He talks about Russian Spies and BP too, but please watch:

AG Eric Holder's DOJ speech for LGBT Pride Month

REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY BY ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE’S 2010 LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH PROGRAM

Good morning. Thank you, Chris [Hook], for your kind words and for all the work that you, Marc [Salans], the Board of DOJ Pride and our EEO staff team have done in organizing today’s ceremony.

It’s a pleasure to join Tom [Perez] in welcoming so many members of the Justice Department family, and so many distinguished guests, here today as we commemorate LGBT Pride Month. I’m glad that Senator [Amy] Klobuchar and Director [John] Clark are with us. And I want to congratulate Chris [Hook] and this year’s other award recipients, Councilmember [David] Catania and Attorney General [Doug] Gansler, on their achievements and contributions. I also want to thank our keynote speakers – Jenny Durkan, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, and Sharon Lubinski, U.S. Marshal for the District of Minnesota – for sharing their thoughts and stories with us and for providing an example of service for us all.

We have much to celebrate today. In the year since we last gathered, our nation – and the Justice Department – have taken steps to address some of the unique challenges faced by members of our country’s LGBT community. As you all know, up until last fall, there was not a single line in the nearly 225-year history of the U.S. Code that referred explicitly to gender identity. Today, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act – which the President signed into law last October – does just that, finally protecting our nation’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals from the most brutal forms of bias-motivated violence.

In another important development, in April of this year, the Justice Department concluded that the Violence Against Women Act covers, and more importantly protects, same sex partners. And, just several weeks ago, as part of the department’s, and the Administration’s, commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion, I announced a new Diversity Management Plan and the appointment of Channing Phillips as Deputy Associate Attorney General for Diversity. With this initiative, and with Channing’s leadership, we’re working to ensure that the Department can effectively recruit, hire, retain, and develop a workforce that reflects our nation’s rich diversity, a Department that welcomes and encourages the contributions of its LGBT employees.

I’m grateful for the assistance and guidance that so many of you have given. Our progress would not have been possible without your contributions. And while we have meaningful achievements to celebrate today, we must remember how much more work we have to do to transform today’s opportunities into tomorrow’s successes. Too many of the challenges that confronted the LGBT community 16 years ago – when DOJ Pride was founded – confront us still today. Too many of the same obstacles that existed then remain for us to overcome. Too many talented men and women cannot, in the words of this year’s motto, “serve openly, with pride.”

With your help and engagement, we’re working to ensure that the Justice Department lives up to its responsibility to provide a work environment where every employee is respected and given an equal opportunity to thrive. That’s the goal we share and the achievement we’ll keep working toward - together. Thank you.

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Interesting Quote: U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr

“Many people have been, I think, a bit flummoxed by what has been the mistaken intention of the president in the briefs that the justice departments has filed in support of the Defense of Marriage Act. Though I fully support what the president has said, that is the repeal of 'don’t ask, don’t tell,' the repeal of DOMA, I have a responsibility as attorney general to support the statute.”

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