Hillary Clinton announces national LGBT steering committee

Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced today the formation of “LGBT Americans for Hillary”—a national steering committee made up of more than 65 LGBT leaders (full list included below), all of whom have personally endorsed Clinton for president.

This committee will work with the campaign on several areas including political outreach, communications, policy advice and counsel, and fund-raising. The press release noted that the move came on the eve of the 38th anniversary of Stonewall, June 28, 1969—you have to hand it to Clinton and her advisors on this one.

Among others, every major openly gay elected official from New York State is on the list—including all four gay members of the state legislature and out New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn.

“I’ve seen how Hillary Clinton’s experience, commitment, and leadership have made a difference for the LGBT community,” said Speaker Quinn, who is expected to run for mayor in 2009. “From her efforts to defeat the Federal Marriage Amendment to standing up for our rights in employment practices, there is no one else in this race who will fight harder for the LGBT community.”

Clinton met with LGBT leaders last year to strategize leading up to the Federal Marriage Amendment vote last summer and met again with about 40 activists and elected officials in October during her Senate reelection campaign for a Q&A with members of the press present.

The steering committee also includes people from Clinton’s past, such as former U.S. assistant attorney general Eldie Acheson, who went to college with Clinton, and Neel Lattimore, who worked for her when she was first lady. Other people include activists such as retired members of the military who have worked to overturn “don’t ask, don’t tell," advocates in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and the attorney who argued and won the landmark Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas.

It is likely no accident that the release included a statement from someone on Obama turf, Chicago-based Jose Zuniga, president of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care. “Her commitment to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell' and her steadfast work to improve access to care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS are just two of the reasons why I support Hillary Clinton for president,” said Zuniga, who attained the rank of sergeant before being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1993 after coming out as a gay man.

As president, the statement says, Clinton would work with the community to make sure that all Americans in committed relationships have equal economic benefits and rights (so far, she backs civil unions); work to end discrimination in adoption laws; put an end to what she has called “the failed policy” of “don't ask, don't tell”; and sign into law expanded federal hate-crimes legislation and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) if they are approved by Congress. (Kerry Eleveld, The Advocate)

LGBT Americans for Hillary steering committee members:

· Eldie Acheson, former U.S. assistant attorney general; founding director, public policy and government affairs, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

· Roberta Achtenberg, former assistant secretary, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development

· Toni Atkins, San Diego City Council member

· Dr. Christopher Barley, activist, philanthropist

· Greg Berlanti, creator/producer, TV series, Brothers and Sisters

· Elizabeth Birch, former executive director, Human Rights Campaign

· Mary Breslauer, former cochair, Kerry-Edwards 2004 LGBT steering committee; communications consultant

· Tonio Burgos, member, Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus

· Ilene Chaiken, creator/producer, Showtime series The L Word

· Rocco Claps, former LGBT outreach director, Democratic National Committee; Illinois LGBT activist

· Bruce Cohen, Oscar-winning film producer

· Roberta Conroy, member, National Leadership Council, Lambda Legal

· Joan Darrah, retired U.S. Navy captain

· Q. Todd Dickinson, former under secretary of commerce for intellectual

property and director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

· Thomas Duane, New York State senator

· Ingrid Duran, board member, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

· Steve Elmendorf, deputy campaign manager, Kerry-Edwards 2004

· Shelley Freeman, business leader, Los Angeles Police commissioner

· Ethan Geto, longtime gay-rights advocate

· John Gile, executive director, Project Angel Food

· Emily Giske, member, Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus

· Deborah Glick, New York assembly member

· Steven Goldstein, chair, Garden State Equality

· Chad Griffin, CEO, Chad Griffin Consulting Inc.

· Rebecca Haag, executive director, AIDS Action Council; executive director, AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts

· Yashar Hedayat, businessman

· Lisa Henderson, general manager, Olivia Cruises

· Stephen Herbits, businessman

· Fred Hochberg, former deputy then acting administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; dean of the Milano School for Management and Urban Policy, the New School

· John Isa, board of directors and business council member, Human Rights Campaign

· Gloria Johnson, board member, National Stonewall Democrats

· Christine Kehoe, California State senator

· Keith Kerr, retired colonel, U.S. Army; retired brigadier general, California National Reserve

· Kasey Kincaid, attorney, Iowa grassroots activist

· Billie Jean King, sports legend and social pioneer

· Sheila James Kuehl, California State senator

· Mark Kvare, board member, National Stonewall Democrats

· Neel Lattimore, special advisor for strategic communications, Children’s Defense Fund; former press secretary for the first lady

· Bruce Lehman, former U.S. assistant secretary of Commerce and commissioner of Patents and Trademarks

· Sue Lovell, Houston City Council member

· Claire Lucas, chair, Democratic National Committee LGBT Leadership Council; board member, National Stonewall Democrats

· Linda Gray Murphy, board member, National Stonewall Democrats

· Daniel O'Donnell, New York assembly member

· Dixon Osburn, LGBT activist on "don't ask, don't tell" policy

· Annise Parker, Houston city controller

· Catherine Pino, board member, National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

· Julian Potter, former special assistant to the president as liaison to the gay and lesbian community

· Christine Quinn, speaker, New York City Council

· Hilary Rosen, president, OurChart.com; media industry consultant

· Peter Rosenstein, D.C.-based LGBT community activist

· Mirian Saez, member, Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus

· Greg Sargent, attorney, New Hampshire LGBT activist

· Jayne Baron Sherman, cochair, In the Life Media; former board chair, Lambda Legal

· Melissa Sklarz, director, New York Trans Rights Organization; vice chair, National Stonewall Democrats

· Paul M. Smith, board member, Lambda Legal; attorney who successfully argued the landmark Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas, establishing the right to privacy for gay Americans

· Jeff Soref, former chair of the Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus; former cochair, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

· Laura Spanjian, board member, Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund; board member, Equality California

· Campbell Spencer, former national LGBT outreach director for the Democratic National Committee and Gore-Lieberman 2000

· Rick Stafford, chair, Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus; cochair, National Stonewall Democrats

· Jill Stauffer, board of directors, Human Rights Campaign

· Sally Susman, business leader

· Rev. Deborah Tammearu, Episcopal priest, Diocese of New York

· Matthew Titone, New York State assembly member

· Jeffrey Tooke, board member, National Stonewall Democrats

· Olive F. Watson, activist and philanthropist

· Paula Redd Zeman, vice chair, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; vice chair, Black Democrats of Westchester

· Bob Zuckerman, board member, National Stonewall Democrats

· Jose Zuniga, retired U.S. Army sergeant and former Soldier of the Year; executive director, International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care