Free Republic

Hockey commentator Jeremy Roenick is firing back at NBC Sports, accusing his former employer of discriminating against him for being straight. Roenick was fired by NBC Sports back in February after he made sexually suggestive remarks about colleagues Kathryn Tappen and Patrick Sharp on a podcast. Now Roenick has filed a lawsuit against the network in New York Supreme Court, claiming wrongful termination and discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation, according to our sister site Variety. Roenick’s lawsuit states that figure skating commentator Johnny Weir made “colorful commentary” about skaters’ body parts for NBC Sports during the 2018 Winter...

Illinois Democratic Rep, Dan Lipinski, known as “the last pro-life Democrat,” who barely survived an attempted purge by the progressives dominating his party, in 2020 has succumbed to a second primary challenge from Marie Newman, a pro-abortion progressive activist more in tune with the pro-death beliefs of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Lipinski regularly attended the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. and generally tried to cling to his pro-life Catholic roots while becoming a target for a party that was finally dropping the pro-choice fraud it had been hiding behind, moving from the...

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is endorsing a progressive candidate seeking to oust Rep. Daniel Lipinski, a moderate Illinois Democrat, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Marie Newman is backed by Justice Democrats, the group that supported Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign in 2018. Newman, a businesswoman, also ran in 2018 against Lipinski and lost by about 2,000 votes. Ocasio-Cortez is walking a fine-line as she seeks to knock off a fellow House Democrat in a blue state. “Marie Newman is a textbook example of one of the ways that we could be better as a party - to come from a...

Democrat Marie Newman, after spending several months exploring a rematch against Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., on Tuesday made it official and said she would run again for the seat, setting up the biggest Chicago-area congressional 2020 primary. The 3rd Congressional District race comes in what may well be a different political climate, with Newman’s progressive wing of the party gaining strength. At the same time, the House political operation, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, led by Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., is committed to supporting incumbents, a policy some activist freshmen Democrats oppose. […]

Thoughtful pro-life Americans know that our greatest victories for the cause of the unborn have been made possible, in part, with help from a brave group of pro-life Democrats who have stood tall against members of their own party to do right by their most vulnerable constituents. The time-honored Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding of elective abortions and is estimated to have saved more than two million lives, initially passed in 1976 with support from more than 100 House Democrats and continues to enjoy bipartisan support as a policy rider to annual spending bills.Years later, the Partial Birth Abortion...

The 2018 Winter Olympics have arrived and the spotlight isn't only on the athletes. The world is keeping a close eye on the skills, performance, and fashion of announcers, too, and on day one of competitions when people wanted a hot new Olympics meme Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski volunteered as tribute. The professional figured skaters showed up looking like announcers for The Hunger Games and Twitter was shook. The two got their hair did and busted out their best maroon sequins numbers for the big night. It was straight up Caesar Flickerman and Effie Trinket in that arena. Josh...

When it comes to liberal causes, U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski usually is a stranger. The Southwest Sider is a Blue Dog Democrat in a party in which moderate conservatives like him have almost disappeared. Last year he was one of just seven House Democrats — and the only one from Illinois — to vote against re-electing Nancy Pelosi as House Democratic leader. He's joined with Republicans in a variety of causes and not too long ago was clearly pleased when his name was floated as a potential U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. (SNIP) Though Mr. Lipiinski kind of shrugs it...

One of the two Milwaukee men involved in the January armed robbery that briefly netted them a $5 million Stradivarius violin was sentenced Thursday to 31/2 years in prison. Universal K. Allah, 37, pleaded guilty in May to robbery as a party to a crime. In addition to his prison term, Allah will remain under extended supervision for another 31/2 years, must avoid contact with the people involved in the attack and pay $4,014.57 in lost wages and ambulance fees to Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Frank Almond. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Dennis P. Moroney called Allah's actions egregious and said...

Exhausted but delighted, Frank Almond can't wait to be reunited with his partner. That would be the exquisite Lipinski Stradivarius stolen from Almond, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, during an armed robbery Jan. 27 after a Frankly Music concert at Wisconsin Lutheran College. Milwaukee police recovered the violin and arrested three suspects in the case. Two of those suspects remain in jail. "Chief Flynn personally called me last night, actually early this morning, which I very much appreciated," said Almond during a phone interview, his first since the theft occurred. The violinist is out of the state and returning to...

The 300-year-old Stradivarius violin that was taken from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's concertmaster in an armed robbery last month has been found and will be returned to its owner later Thursday, authorities said. Three suspects — two men, ages 42 and 36, and a woman, 32 — were arrested Monday morning at their respective Milwaukee residences and remain in police custody. Milwaukee police Chief Edward Flynn said at a news conference Thursday afternoon that the violin was found in a suitcase in an attic of a city residence, with the help of tips from citizens and information received from Taser...

Three people have been arrested in connection with the robbery of a priceless Stradivarius violin, but the instrument has not been found, police said Wednesday. The three suspects — two men, ages 42 and 36, and a woman, 32 — were arrested Monday morning at their respective Milwaukee residences and remained in police custody Wednesday. One of the suspects has been linked to a prior art theft. The violin, crafted in 1715 and known as the Lipinski Strad after a former owner, was stolen from Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Frank Almond during an armed robbery Jan. 27. Almond had played...

The owner of a 300-year-old Stradivarius violin stolen from Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Frank Almond during an armed robbery last week has released a statement expressing relief that Almond was not permanently injured in the attack. Almond posted the owner's statement in his Non Divisi column online at her request. "Due to my devastation at the attack on you, Frank, and the theft of the violin, I feel compelled to write this," the owner writes. "First, I'm so happy that you are safe." "Frank, I could never have guessed that after all you have done, you would be physically attacked....

A $100,000 reward was announced Friday for a priceless 300-year-old Stradivarius violin that was stolen in an armed robbery this week. Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Frank Almond was attacked with a stun gun Monday and robbed of the violin, which has been on indefinite loan to him from its anonymous owners since 2008, a common practice in the music world. The reward will be offered to anyone who can provide information that results in the safe return of the stolen violin. Officials declined to disclose Friday who, or what organization, is financing the reward. Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said...

Chicago violin dealer Stefan Hersh, a close friend of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Frank Almond, said he was stunned when Almond called to tell him that robbers Monday evening took the priceless Stradivarius violin he plays. "I've never heard of an armed robbery for a violin," said Hersh, founder of Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins, which buys and sells rare instruments. Hersh, also a violinist himself, examined the Lipinski Stradivarius with Almond when the instrument's anonymous owner offered to loan it to Almond. Almond has played the instrument in concert since 2008. Hersh said his initial presumption was that the...

A priceless 300-year-old Stradivarius violin that was stolen in a robbery Monday night likely is sitting in a Milwaukee home, a retired FBI expert on such cases said Wednesday. "I doubt it'd be shipped out that quickly to some far-off place," said Robert K. Wittman, founder of the FBI's National Art Crime Team and author of "Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures." The Stradivarius violin was on loan to Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Frank Almond, who was attacked Monday night with a stun gun and robbed of the instrument. He had just completed a performance...

The only Illinois Democrat in Congress to vote against Obamacare was on the phone. U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski — one of the few pro-life Democrats who didn't cave in to White House pressure — was explaining how it felt to be very much alone. "It was rather lonely, yes," Lipinski said of voting against President Barack Obama's federalized health care agenda. "But I could not vote for a bill that would change the status quo on funding for abortion." By voting "no," Lipinski has put a target on his back for smears from the White House staffed by the guys...

More on this later, but wanted to get the name of the 7 dems who voted "no" on the embarrassing porkulus bill in the House. D's No! Bright (AL) Griffith (AL) Peterson (MN) Shuler (NC) DeFazio (OR) Minnick (ID) Taylor (MS) Present: Lipinski (IL) Flood the phones to Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins' offices!!!!

Well, well, well. About those leased cars that congressionals push off onto us taxpayers -- I've been doing a little looking up and found some very interesting tidbits. For instance, Jesse Jackson, Jr. leases (at taxpayers expense) a Ford Expedition for $1,161 a month. Bobby Rush likes his Lincoln Navigator that costs $746 a month. And John Shimkus has a Jeep Commander that costs $627/month. But then there's Dan Lipinski (D-Ill). Lipinski pays for his own vehicle. He says charging taxpayers raises too many questions. You can see more on the list. Not all the congressionals fleece us taxpayers by...

City Clerk James Laski has been secretly recorded as part of the federal Hired Truck investigation, and two of his close associates are cooperating with investigators, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. Laski has allegedly made incriminating statements on the secret tape recordings, according to people familiar with the matter. Federal prosecutors played selections of the secret recordings last month in a meeting with Laski to show the strength of their case against him and persuade him to cooperate with the investigation, sources said. The outcome of the meeting could not be determined. 'Trying to work out a deal'"He's leaning toward...

Hispanic community activists gathered Wednesday in front of the office of U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) on the Southwest Side to protest his vote for a bill that would impose stricter regulations on undocumented immigrants and make illegal entry into the country a criminal act. The group of about two dozen protesters also announced the formation of the Committee for the Progress of the 3rd Congressional District, a set of business and community leaders who intend to find a candidate to run against Lipinski in 2008. "The Mexican community is incensed by his voting in the bill," said Juan Salgado,...