Mysterious Layoffs at Equality Arizona

Equality Arizona, the statewide LGBT advocacy organization, laid off its two staff members on Friday for reasons that remain unknown.

The moves presage a re-characterization of the organization, the vision for which caused tension between the board and affected staff, according to AZCentral.com, the news website of the Arizona Republic.

"The group, which is Arizona's only statewide advocacy organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, laid off executive director Barbara McCullough-Jones and field coordinator Meta Goforth-Zinn on Friday," reported AZCentral.com. "McCullough-Jones, who became the first openly lesbian woman to seek political office in Arizona when she ran for Tempe City Council in 1994, had led Equality Arizona since 2005."

Annie Groth, co-chairwoman of the Equality Arizona board, declined to discuss the layoffs when contacted on Tuesday.

"Groth confirmed the layoffs but would not address the motivation behind them, saying she first wanted to speak with a lawyer. McCullough-Jones did not immediately return a call to her cell phone," AZCentral.com reported.