Victory in the News
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Cicilline Shows Formidable Fund-raising
Wed, Apr 7th 2010, 10:44Providence mayor David Cicilline announced that he has raised $725,000
since declaring his congressional candidacy six weeks ago, more than
triple the amount raised by his closest Democratic rival during the same
period.
According to CQ
Politics, Cicilline set a high bar for primary opponent Bill
Lynch, the former Rhode Island Democratic chairman. The men are
competing to succeed retiring congressman Patrick Kennedy. State house
minority whip John Loughlin is the likely Republican nominee.
Lynch
has raised $230,000, according to CQ Politics, a total that
includes $100,000 of his own money. Cicilline has not contributed his
personal funds, but much of his campaign cash comes from donors who
redirected money from his mayoral reelection bid.
Cicilline,
who is gay, told his supporters that the fund-raising “exceeded all of
our expectations,” according to the Gay
and Lesbian Victory Fund.http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/04/06/Cicilline_Shows_Formidable_Fundraising/
Michigan Student Assembly's first openly gay president sworn in
Wed, Apr 7th 2010, 10:43After serving two years as chair of MSA’s LGBT Commission, Armstrong has made a name for himself within the community.
His work in bringing the Midwest LGBT Conference to campus next year came from his work with the Victory Fund — a national political action committee that trains LGBT leaders to hold political positions in the government and across the country. Victory Fund also helped Armstrong — who interned with the committee last summer — in his MSA campaign, he said.
Armstrong cited that Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh, another openly gay politician, also worked with Victory Fund. Armstrong said Pugh's political success inspired him and proved that he could lead a similar role.
Gabe Javier, Armstrong’s self-proclaimed mentor and assistant director at the University’s Spectrum Center, said Armstrong’s esteemed position as MSA president will have a large effect on the campus as a whole. He said Armstrong’s election win is a “proud moment” for the University and has important implications for the LGBT community to have such representation.
“I have high confidence that Chris is going to represent the interests of all students,” Javier said. “This is an important time for Michigan.”
http://www.michigandaily.com/content/armstrong-serves-first-openly-gay-msa-presidentCould 2010 be ‘Year of the Gay?’
Wed, Apr 7th 2010, 10:41Chris Johnson | Apr 01, 2010
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which backs qualified LGBT candidates for political office, has endorsed for the November election 68 candidates for federal and local races. That’s the highest number of candidates the organization has ever endorsed at this point prior to a November election.
Denis Dison, a spokesperson for the organization, projected the Victory Fund will endorse at least 112 candidates by the time the general election arrives. It would be more candidates than the organization has ever endorsed for a general election.
“When people see someone like [lesbian] Annise Parker win election as mayor of Houston, they question their assumptions about what’s possible, and I think that when people see other LGBT candidates succeed, they believe they can they can do it, too,” Dison said.
The potential for the election of so many gay candidates to office could make 2010 a milestone in terms of visibility for LGBT officials. Such a change would echo a political phenomenon from 1992, which became known as the “Year of the Woman.” At the time, Democratic nominee Bill Clinton’s victory was accompanied by the election of four female Democrats to the U.S. Senate.
http://www.dcagenda.com/2010/04/01/could-2010-be-%E2%80%98year-of-the-gay%E2%80%99/
U of Michigan Elects First Openly Gay Student Body President
Wed, Apr 7th 2010, 10:39The University of Michigan student body has elected its first ever openly queer president. Chris Armstrong, a former intern at the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund was elected president of the University of Michigan Student Assembly. The UM MSA represents tens of thousands of students at one of the country’s most prestigious schools. Armstrong and his running mate represented the MForward party which tallied over 1,000 votes more than their closest challengers. MForward focuses on student involvement and advocacy, and included lobbying for gender neutral housing in their platform. Armstrong, a junior, will serve as MSA president until March of 2011.http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2010/04/u-of-michigan-elects-first-openly-gay-student-body-president/
Video Salute to LGBT Women in Politics
Thu, Apr 1st 2010, 13:07As Women’s History Month came to a close Wednesday, the Gay and Lesbian
Victory Fund released a video to celebrate the accomplishments of out
women in politics.
The video features lesbian trailblazers like
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Houston mayor Annise Parker,
Georgia state representative Simone Bell (pictured) and New York City
Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
“The only way to really get our
voice accurately and effectively and really loudly heard is to have
members of our community at the table, and to have diverse members of
our community at the table,” says Quinn.
According to the video,
the Victory
Fund endorsed 22 women for elected office in 2009, and 82% of them
won.
“It’s a very powerful message to have women at the table,”
says Baldwin. “None of us check our life experiences at the door when we
walk into work. We bring those experiences with us, and those
experiences inform our policy making. Without a diverse group addressing
policy, we’re not going to reflect America.”http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/04/01/Video_Salute_to_Women_in_LGBT_Politics/
The Victory Fund Celebrates Lesbians in Politics
Wed, Mar 31st 2010, 12:34As Women’s History Month comes to a close, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund has a nice little video out celebrating lesbians in politics.http://www.lgbtpov.com/2010/03/the-victory-fund-celebrates-lesbians-in-politics/
Victory Fund Celebrates Women in LGBT Politics
Wed, Mar 31st 2010, 12:32The Victory Fund has produced a video in honor of Women’s History Month celebrating women who have been leaders in the LGBT political movement. Take a look:http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2010/03/victory-fund-celebrates-women-in-lgbt-politics/
Univ. of Michigan Elects Gay Student Body President
Wed, Mar 31st 2010, 12:31Chris Armstrong, a junior majoring in sociology, became
the president of the Michigan Student Assembly on a platform of
advocacy and activism. Armstrong had pledged to support gay rights on
campus; he previously helped bring the 2011 Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian,
Gay, Transgender, Ally College Conference to the University of Michigan.
Armstrong also interned last summer at the Gay & Lesbian Victory
Fund in Washington, D.C.
"The significance of this event really
demonstrates the diversity of this University," Armstrong said in a
statement. "The ability of this campus to elect an openly gay president
to lead them is something that students should be proud of, and the LGBT
community should be proud of."http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/03/29/Univ_of_Michigan_Elects_Gay_Student_Body_President/
University of Michigan Elects Gay Student Assembly President
Wed, Mar 31st 2010, 12:28The Victory Fund notes that their former intern, openly gay University of Michigan junior Chris Armstrong, has been elected president of the University of Michigan Student Assembly.
Michigan Daily reports: "Armstrong and Raymond won by more than 1,000 votes — beating out the Michigan Vision Party’s Ian Margolis and Tom Stuckey — in an election with a student voter turnout of 14 percent, the highest it’s been in years."
http://www.towleroad.com/2010/03/university-of-michigan-elects-gay-student-assembly-president.htmlLesbian Included Among Obama's Recess Appointments
Wed, Mar 31st 2010, 12:23In January, Denis Dison, vice president
of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that promotes openly
gay elected officials, told On Top Magazine that the Obama
administration is on track to setting a new record on appointing
openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender officials. “Obama has appointed about 100 openly
LGBT staff to the executive branch in his first year in office,”
Dison said in an email. “[President] Clinton appointed about 140
over 8 years.” “Obama is certainly on track to set a
record in this regard,” he added. Dison cheered Feldblum's appointment in
an email: “We're very happy she will finally be able to serve on
the EEOC, and proud that she is the first openly LGBT EEOC
commissioner. Few people are as qualified for this job as Chai
Feldblum.”
Out Candidates for Elected Office Increase
Fri, Mar 26th 2010, 14:22The number of openly LGBT candidates endorsed by the Gay and Lesbian
Victory Fund for elected office at the local, state, and federal levels
has reached 76 and continues to grow, which suggests the organization
could be on track to endorse a record number of candidates in 2010.
According
to a news release from the Victory
Fund, “Among the endorsees are five candidates for the U.S. Congress,
two for statewide office, and 35 state legislative candidates.
“Current
endorsees include: Nickie Antonio, a Democrat running for the Ohio
State House; David Cicilline, a Democrat running for Congress from Rhode
Island; Dave Coulter, a Democrat running for the Michigan State Senate;
Lucia Guzman, a Democrat running for the Colorado State Senate; and
Richard Tisei, a Republican running for lieutenant governor of
Massachusetts.”
See the full list of endorsed candidates here. http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/03/26/Out_Candidates_for_Elected_Office_Grow/
Reader poll on best tactics to front-burner LGBT issues in Washington
Wed, Mar 24th 2010, 17:42The Victory Fund's Gay and Lesbian Leadership SmartBrief had a reader poll that presented in interesting results. It's by no means scientific, but it gives you some insight into the conventional wisdom that relying on "the professional gays" to get our issues onto the front burner in DC is by no means the best way to be effective. http://pamshouseblend.com/diary/15633/reader-poll-on-best-tactics-to-frontburner-lgbt-issues-in-washington
Kevin Lembo praises health care vote
Wed, Mar 24th 2010, 17:27Lembo is exploring a run for lieutenant governor. In other Lembo news, he recently received the endorsement of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.
"Kevin's career demonstrates a deep commitment to public service and to making government work for everyone,'' Victory Fund President and CEO Chuck Wolfe said in a statement announcing the endorsement. "His victory will be an affirmation of openness and honesty in politics, so we are proud to stand with him in this important and exciting campaign.''
If elected, Lembo would be among the highest-ranking gay elected officials in the U.S.
http://blogs.courant.com/capitol_watch/2010/03/kevin-lembo-praises-health-car.htmlSource tells Victory Fund: Leading Florida GOP Senate candidate Marco Rubio is ‘horrible’ on gay issues
Fri, Mar 12th 2010, 15:14The Victory Fund’s blog, GayPolitics.com, has an interesting post today, Is Marco Rubio Anti-Gay? The article explores the philosophies of Rubio, the GOP frontrunner for U.S. Senate in Florida and his opponent, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2010/03/source-tells-victory-fund-leading-florida-gop-senate-candidate-marco-rubio-is-horrible-on-gay-issues.html
Ward vies to be Statehouse's first out black lawmaker
Thu, Mar 11th 2010, 10:25The son of an army sergeant and a descendent of slaves, Ward has tried to make up for that deficit in LGBT lawmakers' support by focusing on local politicians near his hometown, many of whom have endorsed him. He also came to San Francisco in December to go through the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund's candidate training. He earned the fund's endorsement, allowing him to tap into its nationwide donor network.
Ward plans to run on his record as a city councilman and hopes voters will be attracted to his reputation of being an effective local politician.
"I feel I have the highest profile and the most amount of experience creating jobs and standing with public safety," said Ward. "We are about trying to make sure our local message gets us there to the Capitol. The primary focus is not getting endorsements from Sacramento leaders."http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=4553
TEP, Victory Fund events promote GLBT candidacies, political activism
Tue, Mar 2nd 2010, 13:59With activists from around the state converging for the Tennessee Equality Project’s
annual Advancing Equality Day on the Hill on March 2, national and
state leaders were on hand to capture some of that enthusiasm for 2010
races and beyond.
On March 1, the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
held an abbreviated version of its three-day training workshop for GLBT
office-seekers, bringing in James Dozier, deputy political director of
the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute,
the fund’s candidate-training arm. Dozier addressed more than a dozen
people from around the state at OutCentral, pointing out the various
do’s and don’ts not only of campaigning, but also for the months and
years prior to entering a race.
“Take advantage of the
opportunity you’ll have tomorrow to talk to legislators,” Dozier said,
“People say you can’t run and win in a red state, but you can. The
trick is finding the right seat to run for, and being a positive role
model. Start early, and do your homework.”http://www.outandaboutnewspaper.com/article/3898
National gay rights groups endorse Providence Mayor Cicilline for Congress
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:32WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two national gay rights groups endorsed Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, who is openly gay, in his bid for Congress in the First District on Monday.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, announced its support of Cicilline for his "long record of supporting full equality for the LBGT community" and his record as Providence mayor.
In a separate announcement, the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that provides financial and campaign support to gay and lesbian political candidates, threw their support to Cicilline for his "reputation as a reformer who helped root out corruption and lower the city's crime rate."
http://politicsblog.projo.com/2010/02/national-gay-ri.htmlVictory Fund Endorses Cicilline for Congress
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:25The gay mayor of Providence, R.I., who is running for a seat in Congress, has been endorsed by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.
David Cicilline has been mayor of Providence for eight years and is often credited for a drop in crime and corruption in the New England city. Now Cicilline wants to represent Rhode Island's first congressional district in Washington. He faces a primary challenge in September before the general election in November.
"Mayor Cicilline’s election will be good news not only for the people of Rhode Island but for LGBT Americans everywhere, who will gain another authentic voice in Congress," said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund. "Having managed Providence for the past eight years, Mayor Cicilline knows what Congress needs to do to help cities emerge from a harsh recession and to put Americans back to work." http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/02/22/Victory_Fund_Endorses_Cicilline_for_Congress/Finding Common Ground
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:24EXECUTIVE EDUCATION | In 2002, Michael Fleming, executive director of the David Bohnett Foundation, helped launch the midcareer fellowship for government officials that the Kennedy School runs in concert with the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute. But it was only after becoming a fellow himself in 2005 that Fleming was able to fully appreciate the value of the program.
Following his recommendation, in 2007 the Bohnett Foundation contributed $500,000 to endow the program, which has grown from 3 fellows in 2002 to 16 in 2009, and covers about half the participation costs for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual students.
Each year, two classes of fellows come to the Kennedy School for the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program. The dozen or so Bohnett fellows are part of a group of some 70 students overall. “We wanted our fellows to be integrated with a larger class of government attendees, who may not be gay or lesbian, so that each group could learn from the other’s experience,” says foundation head David Bohnett, a Web entrepreneur who became a major philanthropist in 1999 after selling GeoCities.com, the social networking company he cofounded, to Yahoo! for $3.6 billion. “After interacting with our fellows, other participants in the program told me they had learned quite a bit about the struggle that gay and lesbian people had for equality.”
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/publications/hks-magazine/archives/winter-2010/finding-common-ground/Yes on 8 expert contends gays wield coalition power
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:21Miller’s testimony seemed to suggest he had only cursory knowledge in any area regarding gay political power. When asked about gay political power nationally, he spoke about the “upward trajectory of power” for the movement in its efforts to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and “Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell” (DADT). And he testified that President Obama has given “significant support” to the community during his first year in office. And he talked about the Gay & Lesbian Victory fund having boasted that most openly gay candidates are elected.http://www.keennewsservice.com/2010/01/26/yes-on-8-expert-contends-gays-wield-coalition-power/
Profile: Openly lesbian Illinois lawmaker Deb Mell
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:19Representative Mell and I had a very long and delightful conversation about how she got to Springfield and what the past year has been like for her. The daughter of popular Chicago Alderman Richard Mell and sister-in-law of former Governor Blagojavich, it would seem Deb was destined for politics, but she says it was a long road.
"I was working at Christy Webber Landscapes. I was there for five years. I loved my job there as project manager for her, but I felt like I wanted something different--I needed a change. Equality Illinois sent me to the Victory Fund candidate training." Though Representative Mell lived in the heart of San Francisco for nearly a decade, she had never been interested in Politics, "I was like 'yeah, I'll go,' but I didn't really know [what was in store], but I went there and I kind of got the bug a little bit."
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/interview_openly_lesbian_illinois_lawmaker_deb_mel.phpHouston's Parker scores big as lesbian mayor of a sports town
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:15 Parker's alliance with the pro-LGBT
Victory Fund dates back 15 years, and it certainly was helpful in the
2009 election, she admits.
The Victory Fund came to the aide of Parker's campaign with money and
volunteers to staff telephone banks in a get-out-the-vote effort.
"The Victory Fund was a help," she said. "It was more important when I
ran 12 years ago." In 1997, Parker prevailed in the runoff election to
City Council, becoming Houston's first openly gay elected official.
"In an odd way, it was almost like getting the Good Housekeeping Seal
of Approval that an independent, third-party group had vetted me as a
candidate and decided that I was worthy, and then contacted their
members in the Houston region, and their financial contributions were
very important.
"They were a big part of my fundraising base, but it wasn't the critical element.
"The Victory Fund certainly was, and is, extremely helpful and I value their support, and am grateful to them for it."
Parker's ties to the Victory Fund date back to 1994.
Daniel Alter Nominated For Federal Bench; Would Be First Openly Gay Male Judge
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:11Denis Dison, spokesperson for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, praised Schumer for his recommendation, telling DC Agenda that "we're entering an era where qualified people are no longer excluded from leadership positions because of their sexual orientation or gender identity."
Alter previously worked as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and is a graduate of Columbia and Yale Law School.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/09/daniel-alter-nominated-fo_n_455557.htmlGay Candidates Head To Florida For Campaign Bootcamp
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:09While political parity remains an
elusive goal for the gay community, the number of openly gay elected
officials has surged over the past decade. In the United States, many of the
country's most successful out politicians received help from the Gay
& Lesbian Victory Fund, a group dedicated to supporting
openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender candidates. Later this month, the group returns to
Fort Lauderdale to put on its 17th annual Gay
& Lesbian Leadership Institute (GLLI) Candidate & Campaign
Training, where attendees learn how to press the flesh from
proven campaign professionals.
Steve Kornell, who fought off anti-gay
attacks to win a seat on the St. Petersburg, Florida City Council
last November, is expected to address attendees.
Are they, or aren’t they?
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:07By John Wright | News Editor wright@dallasvoice.com
Feb 11, 2010 - 7:22:40 PM
Despite gains, some gay candidates still not open; experts say shying away from the issue isn’t an effective campaign strategy
Over the last eight years, the number of openly gay and lesbian elected
officials in the U.S. has gone from 257 to 445, according to the
Washington, D.C.-based Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.
In addition to numerous city council members, Dallas voters have
elected an out lesbian sheriff, and an openly gay county judge and
district clerk. And voters in Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest
city, recently elected an out lesbian mayor.
Despite this apparent progress, however, some gay and lesbian political
candidates in North Texas remain unwilling to discuss or even confirm
their sexual orientation in the media.
One local candidate who’s running in 2010, widely known to be gay in
LGBT circles, has repeatedly refused to respond to questions about his
sexual orientation posed by Dallas Voice. And another local 2010
candidate has confirmed she’s a lesbian but isn’t willing to be
interviewed about her sexual orientation.
Denis Dison, a spokesman for the Victory Fund, which backs openly LGBT
candidates nationwide, said although he understands why some are less
than fully open about their sexual orientation, he doesn’t believe
shying away from the issue is an effective strategy.
“I respect people’s decision to be out or not out, that’s up to them,
but our recommendation to gay people who are running for office is
always, be honest and answer the question, and move on to the issues
that you’re running on,” Dison said.
Three gay nominees among the 27 confirmed by U.S. Senate
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:05The three gay officials were nominated to their positions after being recommended by the Presidential Appointments Project, a Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund-led initiative that helps openly LGBT individuals get appointments in the Obama administration.
Denis Dison, a Victory Fund spokesperson, praised the Senate for confirming Wilson, Atwood and Mills.
“We’re glad the Senate finally confirmed these three outstanding individuals,” he said. “They are proof that the president is focused on finding the best people to work in his administration, and we’re proud they’ve stepped up to serve their country.”
http://dcagenda.com/2010/02/three-gay-nominees-among-the-27-confirmed-by-u-s-senate/Osteen Thanks God for Annise Parker
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 16:01Megachurch pastor Joel Osteen, who ignited a firestorm in November with his comment to The View
that gay people were not among “God’s best,” thanked the heavens on
Monday for Annise Parker, the newly inaugurated lesbian mayor of
Houston.
According to a tweet from the Victory Fund, during the inauguration ceremony Monday morning, Osteen thanked God for "lifting up our new mayor, Annise Parker."http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/04/Osteen_Thanks_God_For_Annise_Parker/
Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund Elects Nashvillian Co-Chair
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 15:59Nashville’s Jim Schmidt has been elected to help lead a part of the country’s largest GLBT political action committee, the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.
Schmidt was elected to a two-year term as co-chair of the Victory Fund’s Campaign Board (VCB) last month and will help lead the 100-member board responsible for recruiting, endorsing and raising money for GLBT candidates running for office.
“It’s a great opportunity to make a huge difference in politics across the country,” Schmidt said.
http://politics.nashvillepost.com/2009/12/30/gay-lesbian-victory-fund-elects-nashvillian-co-chair/Deb Price: Election shows the future has arrived in Houston
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 15:57Early in her victory speech, Houston Mayor-elect Annise Parker addressed the pink elephant in the joy-throbbing room, the history she’d just made as an openly gay candidate for the top office in America’s fourth-largest city.
“All right,” Parker said on Dec. 12, as her partner of nearly 19 years beamed at her side, “let’s get this out of the way. Here’s the announcement that you’ve been waiting for: I am proud, very proud, to have been elected the first, the very first graduate of Rice University to be mayor of Houston.”
Her supporters burst into laughter and cheers at what was a textbook moment for other aspiring lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender candidates. A little humor does indeed go a long way. But in this case, the humor carried with it some Texas-sized truth about why Parker won: Voters appreciated her deep Texas roots.
Parker was born and raised in Houston, graduated from Rice, worked 20 years in the oil and gas industry, then began a political career -- serving six years on the City Council, then five as city controller, where she was in charge of billions of tax dollars and oversaw Houston’s investments.
As her campaign website put it, Parker has “Houston Hometown Values.”
Despite anti-gay mailings, she won a runoff against lawyer and political newbie Gene Locke, 53 percent to 47 percent. Denis Dison of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which helps elect gay candidates, predicts Parker’s triumph will “embolden out leaders to run for office and give young LGBT folks the courage to seek leadership positions while still living authentic lives.” Dison notes Parker always has been open in her campaigns about her sexual orientation.
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/article_f28a1c7e-02be-5f90-9fcc-8e0731b06604.htmlObama administration names two transgender people to posts
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 15:52Amanda Simpson starts work this week as one of the first presidentially-appointed transgender persons to the executive branch of any administration. The honor of the first belongs to Dylan Orr, a 30-year-old law school graduate from Seattle.
The Obama administration appointed both Simpson and Orr in late November. Orr began work on December 7 as special assistant to Assistant Secretary of Labor Kathleen Martinez in the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the Department of Labor.
Simpson, 49, began work on Tuesday as senior technical adviser in the Bureau of Industry and Security in the Commerce Department. The bureau's mission is to protect national security through the management of international trade, the enforcement of treaties, and the promotion of economic, cyber, and homeland security.
http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=4458Obama Admin. On Track To Set Gay Appointment Record
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 15:50A Tuesday announcement on the filling
of key administrative posts included President Obama's latest openly
gay official, Beatrice Hanson. Hanson, who heads a crime victim
assistance organization in New York City, has been nominated to serve
as director of the Office of Victims of Crime in the Department of
Justice. Her nomination keeps the Obama
administration on track to setting a new record on appointing openly
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender officials. Denis Dison, vice president of the Gay
& Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that promotes openly gay elected
officials, told On Top Magazine that the Obama administration
is almost certain to shatter the old record, perhaps as soon as next
year. “Obama has appointed about 100 openly
LGBT staff to the executive branch in his first year in office,”
Dison said in an email. “[President] Clinton appointed about 140
over 8 years.” “Obama is certainly on track to set a
record in this regard,” he added.
Year ahead filled with promise, pitfalls
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 15:42U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent comment that her 2010 agenda wouldn’t include controversial votes unless the Senate acts first has disappointed some LGBT lobbyists on Capitol Hill.
There are several LGBT-related bills pending at the federal level, including repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the enactment of employment non-discrimination and extending benefits to the same-sex partners of federal workers.
http://dcagenda.com/2010/01/year-ahead-filled-with-promise-pitfalls/Europe's Gay Leaders: Out at The Top
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 15:39When Iceland installed Johanna Sigurdardottir as Prime Minister last February, newspapers around the globe printed variations of the same headline: ICELAND APPOINTS WORLD'S FIRST GAY LEADER. Everywhere, that is, except Iceland. The Icelandic media didn't mention Sigurdardottir's sexuality for days, and only then to point out that the foreign press had taken an interest in their new head of state — a 67-year-old former flight attendant turned politician whom voters had consistently rated Iceland's most trustworthy politician. Sure, she was gay and had entered a civil partnership with another woman in 2002. But Icelanders hardly seemed to notice. "The media silence echoed the sentiment of the public. Nobody cared about her sexual orientation," says Margret Bjornsdottir, the director of the Institute for Public Administration and Politics at the University of Iceland. "Being gay is a nonissue here. It's considered unremarkable."
Gay Candidates Get Support That Causes May Not
Thu, Feb 25th 2010, 15:36HOUSTON — When an openly gay woman won the mayor’s race here this month, it was the latest in a string of victories by gay candidates across the country, a trend that seems to contradict the bans on same-sex marriage that have been passed in most states in recent years. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/us/28candidates.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=%22victory%20fund%22%20gay&st=cse
McCoy asks LDS Church to support same-sex rights
Mon, Nov 10th 2008, 12:54State Sen. Scott McCoy joined Equality Utah in asking the LDS Church to follow up on its previously stated commitment to the rights of same-sex couples.
Rietschel endorsed by The Seattle Times
Tue, Oct 28th 2008, 15:23The Seattle Times states: "We like both candidates, but sense in Rietschel a toughness that gives us confidence she could control any courtroom. We endorse Rietschel."http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008298835_edit23judgesendorse.html
Rebecca Kaplan Endorsed by San Francisco Bay Gaurdian
Wed, Oct 22nd 2008, 11:22City Council, at large
REBECCA KAPLAN
Rebecca Kaplan is exactly what the Oakland City Council needs: an energetic progressive with the practical skills to get things done. As an AC Transit Board member, she pushed for free bus passes for low income youths — and defying all odds, managed to get all-night transit service from San Francisco to the East Bay. She did it by refusing to accept the conventional wisdom that transit agencies on the two sides of the bay would never cooperate. She put the key players together in a meeting, convinced the San Francisco supervisors to allow AC Transit buses to pick up passengers in the city late at night, and put through an effective program to get people across the bay after BART shuts down.
Kaplan is running for City Council on a progressive platform calling for affordable housing, rational development, and community policing. Her latest idea: since Oakland has so much trouble attracting quality candidates for vacancies in its police department, she suggests the city recruit gay and lesbian military veterans who were kicked out under the Pentagon's homophobic policies. Her proposed slogan: "Uncle Sam doesn't want you, but Oakland does."
Vote for Rebecca Kaplan.
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?page=17&entry_id=6247&catid=4&volume_id=317&issue_id=376&volume_num=42&issue_num=31Oklahoma wind power has vast potential
Thu, May 29th 2008, 08:25Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth wrote the following article for Tulsa World, extolling the potential of wind energy.http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?articleID=20080508_49_E4_spancl424732
Jamie McLeod speaks on California marriage ruling
Mon, May 19th 2008, 11:28McLeod speaks with other leaders on the California Supreme Court ruling overturning the state's ban on marriage. See the video here.http://video.mercurynews.com/mms/rt/1/site/medianewsgroup-bang-mercurynews-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=mercurynewsvideomc&maven_referralPlaylistId=2702c907691535a6f106bf50a4e68dda7d6d763f&maven_referralObject=f75bf6e9-1778-4e7b-8f76-a7e9
Despite mayor's veto, Riverdale to proceed with project
Wed, Oct 31st 2007, 08:39 Despite
some last-minute political wrangling, Riverdale will move forward with
plans to break ground on a new town center early next year. Voters approved the downtown redevelopment project — part of a tax allocation district — during a special election in September.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 10/29/07
"It's not only a town center," Council member Michelle Bruce said. "This will create jobs and a sense of unity that we never did have in this city. It will bring everybody together and give kids something to do."
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/clayton/stories/2007/10/29/riverdaleplan_1030_web.htmlRiverdale City Council overrides mayor's TAD veto
Wed, Oct 31st 2007, 08:36By Joel Hall
The
Riverdale City Council has overturned a veto by Mayor Phaedra Graham
that would have derailed the city's plan for the Riverdale Town Center,
a tax allocation district (TAD).
"To me, [Graham] slapped the voters in the face when she did this," said Councilmember Bruce. "[The Town Center] creates jobs for our citizens, it creates tax base ... [the voters] wanted this and this hurts the taxpayers in the city."
http://www.news-daily.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=22460&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&S=1Proposed mortgage rules face hurdles
Mon, Oct 29th 2007, 16:37The bill, by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and two North Carolina colleagues, could set the baseline for the emerging debate over how to prevent a repeat of the mortgage meltdown. But its passage is by no means assured, and elements of the bill are likely to draw intense opposition from the lending industry.http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mortgage23oct23,1,6715773.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage&ctrack=1&cset=true
Novice challenges city council incumbent Clark
Thu, Oct 25th 2007, 14:10Judy Fenton, who wants to retrofit the Alaskan Way Viaduct and remove statues at the Olympic Sculpture Park, is running for Position 9 against incumbent Sally Clark, who wants to continue the work she's done for the city's neighborhoods.
"I'm a geek for Seattle's neighborhoods," Clark said.
"I want to figure out how to both retain the character that we like about them and see them grow in ways that allow new people to move in."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003946792_elexseacouncilnine13m.htmlGovernor Schwarzenegger Approves DPA Legislation to Expand Clean Syringe Access
Thu, Oct 25th 2007, 13:55California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed Assembly Bill 110, authored by Assemblymember John Laird (D – Santa Cruz), which allows local governments to use state HIV prevention funds to purchase clean syringes. http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/102307ab110.cfm
Washington Post Endorses Adam Ebbin
Thu, Oct 25th 2007, 10:04District 49: Democratic incumbent Adam P. Ebbin faces only nominal opposition from James Ronald Fisher, an Independent Green Party member. Mr. Ebbin, the only openly gay member of the General Assembly, has the rare courage in Richmond to speak out against the political scapegoating of illegal immigrants, religious minorities, homosexuals and other easily exploited groups.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/24/AR2007102402341.html
Oklahoma’s first openly gay legislator visits Dallas
Mon, Oct 22nd 2007, 08:12From one “blue” region to another, gay Oklahoma Rep. Al McAffrey is
coming to share his experiences with Dallas’ political activists.
“We have a lot in common with his district,” said Jesse Garcia,
president of Stonewall Democrats of Dallas. “He’s in a little blue
island of Oklahoma City, and he’s coming to Dallas County where there’s
another blue island in a sea of red.”http://www.dallasvoice.com/artman/publish/article_7018.php
Dallas County sheriff vows to crack down on warrants
Fri, Oct 19th 2007, 11:56Dallas County constables have started helping the Sheriff's Department serve felony and other high-level criminal warrants, giving the county a total of 100 full-time warrant deputies – a force unrivaled by any other county in Texas.
"If you have a warrant out in Dallas County, someone is going to be knocking on your door," Sheriff Valdez said.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/101607dnmetwarrants.30d1adb.htmlA December Primary in New Hampshire? It's His Call.
Mon, Oct 15th 2007, 17:16One person who may know what Gardner is thinking is Jim Splaine, who was along for the ride to Keene and back. Splaine, 60, is a Democratic state legislator who wrote the 1975 law giving the secretary of state power to set the primary date. Splaine also wrote subsequent amendments extending that power.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/11/AR2007101102109.html?hpid=topnews
Okla.: Utilities' Rate Increase Denied
Mon, Oct 15th 2007, 14:45Commissioner Chairman Jeff Cloud and Commissioner Jim Roth signed two separate orders rejecting the request of Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. PSO is a subsidiary of American Electric Power Co.http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/0a229e7c61966c73612c99b4bdd1be86.htm
Houston City Council: The Chronicle recommends Lovell, Noriega, Jones, Adams and Williams
Mon, Oct 15th 2007, 13:21• At Large Position 2, Sue Lovell — After decades of community involvement, this longtime Montrose resident was elected to her first term on council two years ago and has shown both independence and the ability to build consensus. Lovell is a strong advocate for providing more after-school programs and park space in densely developed parts of the city.http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/5211158.html
