Clinically Clueless: John Perez is California Assembly Speaker!!

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Friday, October 15, 2010

John Perez is California Assembly Speaker!!

Openly gay Assemblymember John Perez (D-Los Angeles) is making history Monday as he is sworn in as the new Assembly Speaker. He is taking over from Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), who is running for Congressmember Diane Watson’s seat.

Longtime political columnist Rick Orlov notes that Assembly Speaker is considered “the second-most powerful job in California politics.” He writes:

“In a ceremony being compared to an inauguration, Perez will outline his priorities – jobs, jobs, jobs and perhaps a bit on education and, oh yeah, that multibillion-dollar budget problem. He is expected to be speaking to a full house, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Gov. Gray Davis and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – Perez’s cousin.”

Also attending will be many of Perez’s longtime LGBT friends, including Eric Bauman, the openly gay vice chair of the California Democratic Party. Bauman emailed that “the Speaker-elect and members of the Legislature were blessed at a magnificent interfaith service that included Catholic priests, bishops, ministers and our community’s own Rabbi Denise Eger.” He adds, “An incredible diversity of Californians are in Sacramento to attend and participate in the swearing-in, including the Gay Men’s Chorus who I am sure will turn the house out when they sing.”

UPDATE from Bauman at 12:50p: “The Gay Mens Chorus has the house in tears with a medley of America the Beautiful and America… To be followed by It’s a Brand New Day from the Wiz… Go boys, turn them out!”

UPDATE: LA Times reports Perez sworn in at 12:56.

UPDATE: West Hollywood City Councilmember John Duran in the Capitol Gallery says: “The Assembly Chambers were filled with the spirits of the thousands of LGBT activists who strolled the Capitol halls for more than 40 years demanding justice on sodomy laws, hate crimes, discrimination and AIDS. Much blood was shed to get us here.”

UPDATE: This just in from EQCA’s Geoff Kors:

I just left the Assembly Chambers after witnessing history as Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno swore in Assemblymember John A. Pérez as Speaker.

From the rousing rendition of “Brand New Day” by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles to Speaker Pérez’s moving and powerful remarks, today is a day of great hope for the State of California and the LGBT community.

Another barrier for our community was shattered as Assemblymember Pérez became the state’s first openly gay Speaker.

With his indispensible leadership and stellar track record, it is Speaker Pérez who will lead California in solving the many challenges the state faces. 

At EQCA, we look forward to working with Speaker Pérez as we push forward with an aggressive legislative agenda that will propel the state closer to full LGBT equality. We also look forward to working with him to ensure that the state has a budget that protects the critical health and human service needs of all people, especially those most in need.