swop tucson

Allies, workers, advocates for sex workers' rights. Rabble rousers, change agents, and artists.

[swop tucson @swoptucson]

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is tomorrow, December 17. We fight for the day there are no candles. #werememberyou #idevasw

[Stephen Lemons @stephenlemons]

"Within the Barred Bunker: A New Prison Column by Michael Lacey, ‘A Memorable Day’"
https://t.co/NsYtEBljfE

[SNAP! Festival @SNAP_Festival]

The SNAP Festival also means politics and culture!

Join us @ Les Halles de Schaerbeek on October 18 and 19 and visit our VR set up and digital games, for free.

More info: https://t.co/1cJfA7F2be

[The Celluloid Bordello 🇺🇦🇵🇸 @WHORESonFILM]

Sex workers are resilient, revolutionary, beautiful, strong, creative and resourceful.
Never forget who you are, who your community is, what you have overcome and how important you are. Love and solidarity to sex workers and their families everywhere.

[Stephen Lemons @stephenlemons]

Phoenix New Times, https://t.co/io0k9Dckj2 founder surrenders to US Marshals https://t.co/ZWkFPqT0ww

[The Celluloid Bordello 🇺🇦🇵🇸 @WHORESonFILM]

Heartbroken seeing Mike Lacey of #backpage surrendering to federal custody. I’m honored to call him a friend.

[swop tucson @swoptucson]

@mikestabile @stephenlemons Ha ha

[swopphoenix.bsky.social @swopphoenix]

Friendly reminder. We are mobile. Valleywide.

[swop tucson @swoptucson]

@velma_ts We’ve all been there. Just pretend if never happened or move far away 😂

[swop tucson @swoptucson]

@stephenlemons So this judge is punishing him for things for which he wasn’t found guilty. He believed he was operating legal because the courts affirmed this several times.

[Stephen Lemons @stephenlemons]

A statement from journalist Michael Lacey, made just before the start of the #Backpage sentencing hearing, which ended today with Lacey being sentenced to 60 months in prison and a $3M fine for being the co-owner of a classified listings site:
FOR OVER 50 YEARS JIM LARKIN WAS MY FRIEND AND BUSINESS PARTNER. HIS SUICIDE IS THE TRAGEDY OF THIS PROSECUTION.

LARKIN CONSULTED WITH THE NATION’S FINEST FIRST AMENDMENT ATTORNEYS THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF BACKPAGE AND I BELIEVE HE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE ADVICE OF THE LAWYERS. THAT’S JUST WHO JIM WAS. LAW ENFORCEMENT TESTIFIED IN COURT THAT THEY COULD NOT ARREST ANYONE BASED UPON THE ADS IN BACKPAGE.

NONETHELESS, WITHIN THE 30 MILLION ADS ANNUALLY ,THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH STORIES THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO HEAR WITHOUT HEARTACHE. IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT I MADE NO DECISIONS REGARDING BACKPAGE. IT WAS A BUSINESS AND I DID NOT WORK IN BUSINESS.
I RAN THE JOURNALISTS AND EDITORS. I WROTE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF COLUMNS AND ARTICLES. OUR WRITERS WON MORE THAN 3800 AWARDS INCLUDING A PULITZER. MUCH HAS BEEN MADE THAT I OPENED A TRUST IN EUROPE FOR MY CHILDREN. THESE FUNDS WERE TRANSFERRED AT THE SUGGESTION OF ATTORNEYS WHEN FBI AGENTS INTIMIDATED AMERICAN BANKERS FROM DOING BUSINESS WITH ME.

I WAS FOUND GUILTY ON ONE COUNT OF CONCEALMENT. THIS IS SIMPLY A MISTAKE. NOTHING WAS CONCEALED. MY LAWYERS FILED A NOTICE ( AN FBAR ) ANNUALLY WITH THE SAME FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS NOW PROSECUTING ME. THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE ACCOUNT AND WHERE THE ACCOUNT IS.

I HAVE KNOWN FELLOW DEFENDANTS SCOTT SPEAR AND JED BRUNST FOR DECADES AND KNOW THEM TO BE BOTH HONEST AND HONORABLE . THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THEM ARE ASTONISHING AND FLAT WRONG.

— MICHAEL LACEY, FORMER EXECUTIVE EDITOR, VILLAGE VOICE MEDIA, AUGUST 27, 2024

[swop tucson @swoptucson]

@CdrSpr @stephenlemons Nope.

[swop tucson @swoptucson]

The cost of giving sex workers their first amendment rights.

[The Celluloid Bordello 🇺🇦🇵🇸 @WHORESonFILM]

Backpage former owner gets 5 years.

[Stephen Lemons @stephenlemons]

Judge denied bail pending appeal for #Backpage defendants m. Will have to self-surrender in 2 weeks.

[Stephen Lemons @stephenlemons]

BREAKING: Lacey sentenced to 60 months in prison in #Backpage case. More later.

[swop tucson @swoptucson]

@stephenlemons Outrageous, cruel and vindictive.

[Stephen Lemons @stephenlemons]

Sentencing hearing for journalist Michael Lacey and 2 others in #Backpage case continues today at 9:30am in Phoenix's federal court before Judge Humetewa. Prosecution is expected to spend an hour arguing why Lacey and his co-defendants should each receive 20 years in prison. 1/

[swop tucson @swoptucson]

@stephenlemons All but two voted for fosta sesta. I can’t believe this is what it’s come to.