NEW JERSEY: Catholic Diocese Agrees To Pay $1M Molestation Settlement

The Catholic Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey has agreed to pay a $1M settlement to five men who were molested by the same priest while they were altar boys.

The settlements, announced today, bring to $1.3 million the amount the diocese has paid to alleged abuse victims of the Rev. Ronald Becker. Becker was removed from the ministry in 2002. He has since died. Becker molested the five boys at Incarnation parish in Ewing hundreds of times between 1972 and 1984, in spans that ranged from six months to four years, according to Mitchell Garabedian, the Boston-based lawyer who represented the men. The abuse occurred in the church, the rectory and on trips.

(Tipped by JMG reader Brian)

BROOKLYN: Lesbian Sues For Sexual Harassment, Boss Says She's Too Ugly

Openly lesbian real estate worker Priscilla Agosto, 23, is suing her former employer for sexual harassment, saying she'd been physically and verbally humiliated by her coworkers. Agosto's boss responded to the suit by claiming that she is "too ugly" for anybody to have bothered her.

Priscilla Agosto ran a gauntlet of sexual humiliation - verbal and physical - in her 14 miserable months at People's Choice Realty, her suit against its three bosses says. No less than seven male employees made lewd advances at her - even after she complained to the bosses, she said in papers filed in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Her male co-workers exposed themselves, rubbed up against her and even asked for oral sex, she alleges. And they even offered $500 to watch her have sex with her girlfriend, she said. "I hope and pray that by sharing my story, anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation will have the courage to speak up," said Agosto. Odelia Berlianshik, the owner of the Williamsburg firm, denied the charges - and launched a shocking attack on Agosto's appearance. "Who would touch her? She's an ugly girl anyway," she said of the former secretary. "She made up a story because she didn't want to work."

Bradlee Dean On Maddow Lawsuit

Parents Sue To Prevent Late Daughter's Spouse From Receiving Benefits

Represented by the anti-gay Thomas More Society, the parents of a recently deceased Philadelphia lesbian are suing their late daughter's wife to prevent her from receiving her partner's profit-sharing benefits. Lawyers for the parents argue that the couple's Canadian marriage cannot be recognized under DOMA. Via Christian Newswire:

Thomas More Society attorneys argue that the parents are entitled to the funds because their daughter executed a beneficiary designation form in their favor before her death, and because Farley and Tobits' "marriage" was invalid under Federal and Pennsylvania law. Under the terms of the profit-sharing plan, the parents would be next in line when there is no spouse, even without a designated beneficiary form from the deceased. Therefore, they are legally entitled to the funds as Farley's surviving parents on two accounts.

"The deceased was fully aware of her rights under the law to designate her parents as the beneficiaries of her profit-sharing plan proceeds, even going so far as to state that she was 'single' in accord with the law. What Ms. Tobits is trying to do is circumvent both federal and state laws for her own financial gain. The Farleys merely seek to effectuate their daughter's final wishes, while her alleged 'spouse' seeks to unjustly pad her pocketbook," said Peter Breen, executive director and legal counsel of the Thomas More Society.

It sounds like the parents exerted some deathbed pressure for their daughter to sign over her estate.

NEW YORK CITY: Lesbian Sues Queens Sizzler Claiming Anti-Gay Harassment

Lambda Legal is suing a Sizzler restaurant after a lesbian customer reported that she was assaulted by the manager who also used anti-gay slurs.

Lambda Legal charges in the suit that the frightening encounter ensued after the manager accused Liza Friedlander of not paying for the buffet during brunch with friends at the Forest Hills Sizzler last September. The suit, filed in Queens Supreme Court, says the manager shoved Friedlander in the chest and kicked her in the legs while calling her a "fucking dyke" and other epithets. The suit contends the attack set off a frenzy of hateful chants from other patrons, spurring Friedlander's friends to frantically dial 911 out of fear she would be killed. One male diner called Friedlander a "he-she freak" and demanded she leave. Friedlander said it left her shaken. "Just because I don't appear to be the Sizzler manager's idea of what a woman should look like doesn't mean that gives him permission to attack me and allow other customers to join in," Friedlander said.

The restaurant manager denies everything and says Friedlander "freaked out" after being told the brunch buffet period had ended.

Bradlee Dean: I'm Suing Rachel Maddow To Protect America's Children From Gays

Atheists File Challenge to WTC Cross

The American Atheists filed suit in New York court this week, seeking to have a cross removed from the World Trade Center museum. The "cross" was recovered from the tens of thousands of identical metal "crosses" that comprised the destroyed buildings. But because this one happened to land in an upright position, Christianists have seized up this bit of salvage as evidence of "God's enduring love" for all those people he selected for murder by terrorists.

"This cross is now a part of the official WTC memorial. No other religions or philosophies will be honored. It will just be a Christian icon, in the middle of OUR memorial,” Dave Silverman, president of American Atheists, said in a release. Silverman added that the memorial must allow atheists and other belief groups to include their own displays of equal size. For the past several years the cross has been housed at St. Peter's church. On Saturday it was permanently moved to the 9/11 Memorial Museum after a ceremonial blessing at Zuccotti Park. The 9/11 Memorial Museum, which will officially open next year, said its mission is to tell the history of the attacks through artifacts like the cross. "This steel remnant became a symbol of spiritual comfort for the thousands of recovery workers who toiled at ground zero, as well as for people around the world," said 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels. "In the historical exhibition, the cross is part of our commitment to bring back the authentic physical reminders that tell the story of 9/11 in a way nothing else can.”

Bachmann-Affiliated Preacher/Radio Host Sues Rachel Maddow & MSNBC

Right wing radio host and preacher Bradlee Dean has filed suit against Rachel Maddow and MSNBC for a report claiming that Dean had called for the execution of homosexuals. According to the suit, Dean did not and does not endorse executing gay people. Dean and his band have performed at fundraisers for Rep. Michele Bachmann and she has praised his ministry. From a press release issued by the conservative group, Freedom Watch:

Tomorrow, You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International, Inc., a foundation dedicated to restoring morality and values in the nation's youth, will sue MSNBC, Rachel Maddow and others who defamed its founder, Bradlee Dean. A press conference will be held to announce the suit at the above location at 11 am on July 27. Bradlee Dean and his attorney will speak at the press conference. Bradlee Dean, a renowned hard metal rocker who came to Christ after suffering a hard life as a young boy, has dedicated his life to this mission, a mission that has been under attack by liberal media since its inception. In the course of his ministry, Dean once made a statement on radio criticizing his fellow Christians for not taking a stronger stand about the gay rights lobby promoting homosexuality in the schools. He made a strong reference to Muslims taking the issue more seriously in the context of Shariah law, but did not condone their practices. It was Bradlee's intent to focus attention on the issue, not to advocate harm to anyone.

Here's the Bradlee Dean quote in question:

"Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America. This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination."

Below are audio clips of the full quotes in context. In the second clip, Dean calls for the imprisonment of gay people and praises a then-pending Rwanda law that would imprison gay people for life.

NEW YORK: Hate Group Files Suit To Overturn Same-Sex Marriage

Led by Rev. Jason McQuire, today the New Yorkers For Constitutional Freedoms filed suit to overturn same-sex marriage.

McGuire claims that the state Senate, in adopting the legislation, violated the state’s Open Meetings Law by closing off the Senate galleries and lobby; and by holding closed door meetings with Mayor Bloomberg and others who backed the law.The group also claims, among other things, that Gov. Cuomo and the Senate ignored the constitutionally mandated three-day waiting period before a bill can be acted upon and that lawmakers approved the legislation in exchange for campaign contributions from Bloomberg and other high profile "Wall Street financiers."

"It is unfortunate that state senators chose to protect their personal interests, rather than the people they were elected to represent. Some of the players may have changed, but it looks like same old Albany game. It is time the curtain be pulled back and the disinfecting light of good government shine upon the Cuomo Administration and our State Legislature," McGuire said in a press release.

A spokesman for Gov. Cuomo's office denounced the suit as "without merit."

UPDATE: The above-linked story fails to note that the lawsuit was actually filed by Dead Jerry Falwell's Liberty Counsel. On behalf of the haters above.