California assembly to select its first openly gay speaker

By GottaLaff

Hector Amezcua / hamezcua@sacbee.com
Assemblyman John Perez, D-Los Angeles, talks with Assemblyman Jerry Hill in June 2009.

One more incremental step for equality:

Assemblyman John A. Perez's final opponent has bowed out, setting the stage for the first-term Democrat to be selected Assembly speaker today — the first openly gay man to hold the post.

Perez, who is chairman of the Assembly Democratic Caucus and was regarded much of the year as a potential candidate for speaker, entered the fray as a late-comer after being pushed by colleagues.

Too bad about New Jersey's step back.

Obama appoints CAP’s Brad Kiley as Director of Office of Management and Administration

By GottaLaff

Obama has appointed an openly gay man/former Think Progress colleague as the Director of the Office of Management and Administration:

This afternoon, the Obama transition team announced several new White House staff members, including our friend and former colleague Brad Kiley as the Director of the Office of Management and Administration. Brad is currently the Director of Operations for the transition team. He served as Vice President of Finance and Operations at the Center for American Progress, and before that, as deputy assistant to the president for management and administration in the Clinton White House. With his new position, Brad is the highest ranking LGBT appointment in the White House.

Ordinarily, I wouldn't have made a big deal out of this, but because of recent controversies, I thought it was worth a mention.

Bonior Building Behind-The-Scenes Momentum For Openly Gay Activist as Labor Secretary

By GottaLaff

(bio)

Change and more change:

Former Rep. David Bonior, who has deep roots in the labor movement, has mounted an aggressive behind-the-scenes campaign, with letters and personal lobbying, to press the Obama transition team and top labor leaders to get behind his pick for labor secretary: Union activist Mary Beth Maxwell, who would make history as the first openly gay cabinet member.

Some labor leaders are reported to be worried that an older, more experienced hand with more stature would make a better pick for the post than Maxwell, who heads the pro-labor group American Rights at Work. But Bonior argued in his letter that Maxwell would be more in sync with Obama's change message.

"I believe that it is time to pass the torch to a new generation of leadership that puts a fresh new face on the labor movement and our vision for working families," Bonior wrote, adding that an old-guard figure would amount to "looking in the rear-view mirror and represent past Washington battles."

Separately, The Politico reports that a key coalition of gay and lesbian groups has thrown its support to Maxwell.

One more benefit: An openly gay cabinet member might very well drive a whole lot of bigoty types crazy. Well, crazier.