Lexington, KY -- Kentucky Equality Federation today officially terminated a strategic alliance with the Libertarian Party of Kentucky today that began on April 10, 2008. (previous press release) This announcement is being released by Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer.
"Until recently we had open dialogue with the Libertarian Party of Kentucky and they rallied with us in favor of amending the Kentucky Civil Rights Act of 1966 to include sexual orientation and gender identity," said Palmer. "Since the leadership changed, we have had extensive communication gaps with the new leaders of the party. This distance has caused us great concern as we have watched the Libertarian Party of Kentucky become increasingly under the influence of the amorphous Tea Party elements whose anti-equality rhetoric is alarming."
Speaking for the Board of Directors, Chairman Richard T. Jones agreed with the decision which came directly from the Office of the President on the advice of several Regional Directors and confidential political advisers. (Board Resolution - Role of the Chairman and the Office of the President)
"Until recently, the Libertarian Party of Kentucky condemned anti-equality and homophobic comments made by politicians who the media associated as being part of the Libertarian Party of Kentucky," Jones said. "We sincerely hope that they will renew their commitment to the cause of equality by being an influence on their allies, rather than distancing themselves from beliefs they once held dear by standing united with us to bring equality to Kentucky."
Palmer continued: “Kentucky Equality Federation Regional Directors, Assistant Regional Directors, Outreach Directors, and stand-by volunteers requested the Office of the President reevaluate our alliance with the Libertarian Party of Kentucky. In doing so we realized there are far too many Tea Parties factions in the Commonwealth who oppose equality and associate themselves as being part of the Libertarian Party of Kentucky; it is the responsibility of the Libertarian Party of Kentucky to confirm or deny their affiliations, which they have failed to do. We however will not have a standing alliance with any organization which opposes social and political equality or have not made their positions clear."
"Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional Lame Duck status in this particular climate would just be another dose of politics as usual, something I campaigned against and will always oppose," Palin said in a statement released by her office.
"It is my duty to always protect our great state. With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, so that this administration, with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future, can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success," she said.
To examine the gay community’s self-absorption, look no further than the event celebrated this month that has been commemorated with parades for four decades: the “Stonewall Rebellion.” Why is it that in all that time no gay leader has acknowledged that there were non-gay victims at that event, which we should regret, if not apologize for? Stonewall was sparked by a legitimate bar raid on an unlicensed, Mafia-run drinking establishment. The gay “heroes” threw glass bottles and bricks at police and at one point tried to light the building on fire while people were still inside. Even if one celebrates Stonewall’s repercussions for sparking feelings of gay pride and leading to nationwide community organizing, shouldn’t we acknowledge that our self-esteem doesn’t have to come at the expense of other people’s safety?
"My daughter was involved in a protest at Franklin County High School today for their right to use the restroom," stated Michelle Sexton.
Craig Shniderman, executive director of Food & Friends, which provides meals and nutritional services for homebound people with HIV/AIDS in the Washington, D.C. area, had the highest salary among the heads of the nation’s most prominent LGBT advocacy groups and groups that provide AIDS-related services in Los Angeles, New York and D.C.
A survey of the compensation paid to heads of 30 LGBT and AIDS organizations, conducted by the Washington Blade, shows that Shniderman had a total salary and benefits package of $382,200 in 2008, the latest period for which the organizations’ salary and annual revenue data could be obtained for a completed fiscal year.
Shniderman’s earnings placed him ahead of Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. Solmonese, who ranked second in the salary survey, received a total compensation package of $338,400 in 2008.
Shniderman’s salary also topped that of Lorri Jean, executive director of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center, which had revenue of $48.5 million in 2008 and had nearly 300 employees compared to Food & Friends’ annual revenue of $7.9 million and 50 employees.
The L.A. Center’s $48.5 million was the highest among all the LGBT and AIDS groups in the survey. HRC had the second highest annual revenue among the 30 groups: $41.4 million. Equality California, the statewide group that coordinated the unsuccessful effort to oppose an anti-gay marriage amendment, came in third, with a 2008 figure of $24.5 million.
Geoff Kors, Equality California’s executive director, had a 2008 compensation of $171,000.
The 30 national LGBT and AIDS groups are among the thousands of nonprofit organizations in the United States that must file annual reports with the IRS disclosing financial information, including the salaries of their chief operating officers.
In conducting the survey, the Blade asked the 30 organizations to disclose the salaries for their CEOs or executive directors for 2008 — the most recently completed fiscal year — as well as for the current fiscal year of 2009. The IRS 990 financial disclosure forms for nonprofit organizations do not become publicly available for two years, with the 2007 IRS forms being the latest year that the disclosure forms can be obtained by the press or public.
According to information compiled by two watchdog organizations that monitor salaries and other finance-related data of nonprofit organizations — Guidestar and Charity Navigator — some of the salaries of the leaders of the 30 LGBT and AIDS groups surveyed by the Blade, on average, were comparable to salaries of non-LGBT civil rights and “social action” groups with a similar revenue figure.
However, a number of the groups surveyed by the Blade offered higher salaries for their CEO or executive director than similar non-LGBT groups tracked by Guidestar and Charity Navigator.
In the report, organizations with an annual budget greater than $5 million pay CEOs on average $196,531, with CEOs who make $320,212 landing near the top in the 90th percentile for compensation.
HRC’s Solmonese took a voluntary pay cut of 10 percent, lowering his total compensation from $338,400 to $302,200, according to HRC.
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