As you may know, tomorrow are oral arguments at the Supreme Court in what is likely to be the decisive case for marriage equality nationwide – and perhaps by extension LGBT equality writ large. TPM Managing Editor David Kurtz will be in the chambers covering the oral arguments. And after he writes up what he saw he will be taking your questions in a live chat at The Hive (sub req) tomorrow at 4 PM.
I mentioned yesterday that a guy went public to the Las Vegas Sun claiming that he had made up a baseless rumor/conspiracy theory and tried to peddle it to a rightwing site to see just how credulous or irresponsible they would be. Turned out, pretty credulous and irresponsible! The story was that Harry Reid didn’t get those injuries in an accident. It was his drunken brother beating him up. And John Hinderaker of Powerline Blog ran with it based on no evidence at all. This afternoon Brendan James talked to Hinderaker to understand how this could happen. You’ve really got to read this.
We’re monitoring a stand off unfolding in Baltimore on the day of the funeral of Freddie Gray whose death in police custody has sparked a round of protests. The police are saying they have credible threats of some sort of youth gangs targeting police. There already appear to be some police injuries do to protestors throwing bricks and stones.
Baltimore police say seven officers have been injured in confrontations with protestors this afternoon.
Running updates on the situation on the ground here.
Baltimore erupts into rioting, looting and fire. Governor declares curfew and state of emergency. Here’s the latest.
Images from looting and riots breaking out tonight in Baltimore, after the jump …
(Ed.Note: There appears to have been more than one fire in Baltimore this afternoon and evening. The largest is at a senior center that was under construction. But there are conflicting reports about whether the fire was connected to the rioting and protests.]
Mother sees son on TV participating in riot action in Baltimore, heads to scene to slap him around. Video after the jump …
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake: “I understand anger, but what we’re seeing isn’t anger. It’s disruption of a community. The same community they say they care about, they’re destroying. You can’t have it both ways.”