Don't Ask Don't Tell

Air Force May Boot Aviator Who Revealed He Is Gay To Defend False Rape Claim

Megan Carpentier | August 12, 2010, 5:17PM

Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach

Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach has been fighting for the right to stay in the Air Force for more than two years following a false criminal report that led to his outing. Yesterday, following reports that the Secretary of the Air Force was about to order his discharge, his lawyers filed for a temporary restraining order to keep him in the military until the courts have their say, or the Obama Administration gets around to repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell.

So, how did a decorated combat aviator with 19 years in the Air Force end up riding a desk and hoping just to make it to his pension (for which he'd be eligible next year) instead of flying missions in one of his country's wars -- despite much-heralded changes to the military's enforcement policies?

Read more »

Nevada

NV State Candidate Accused Of Bribing Rape Victim's Sister

Rachel Slajda | May 28, 2010, 2:02PM

State Sen. Dennis Nolan and challenger Elizabeth Halseth

In the Nevada state senate's ninth district race, the Republican primary is getting brutal, with allegations of bribery, defending child rapists and insanity.

The back story: The incumbent, state Sen. Dennis Nolan, in 2008 testified as a character witness in defense of his friend, Gordon Lawes. Lawes was on trial for raping his 16-year-old sister-in-law. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Now, Nolan's primary challenger, Elizabeth Halseth, is using that testimony against him. She ran radio ads all last week in which the victim's father accuses Nolan of "defending child rapists."

Read more »

Charles Dyer

Former Marine With Ties To Right-Wing Movements Charged With Child Rape, Possessing Grenade Launcher

Zachary Roth | January 22, 2010, 11:16AM

Charles Alan Dyer

An ex-military man with ties to the Tea Party and militia movements has been charged in separate complaints with raping a minor and with possessing an unregistered grenade launcher.

Charles Dyer, a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq, was arrested January 12 in Oklahoma on the rape charge. A child had told sexual-abuse experts about a January 2nd incident at Dyer's home.

Read more »

Ted Alvin Klaudt

Jailed Ex-State Rep Tries To Copyright Own Name, Wants $500K Per Use

Justin Elliott | December 16, 2009, 9:39AM

Copyright symbol with Ted Klaudt (inset)

If Ted Alvin Klaudt had his way, we'd owe him $500,000 for the first clause of this sentence. The former South Dakota state representative has sent a notarized letter from prison -- where he is serving time for the rape of two of his foster daughters -- notifying several news organizations of a "Common Law Copyright" on the use of his name.

The AP is among the organizations that got the letter from the state prison in Springfield, South Dakota. Klaudt's copyright notice, which demands $500,000 per unauthorized use of his name, was notarized and includes a seal indicating it was filed with the register of deeds near Klaudt's family ranch, the AP reports.

Read more »