Labor Department Issues Final Rule On LGBT Anti-Discrimination Measures

Via press release:

A new rule prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity in the federal contracting workforce is being announced today by the U.S. Department of Labor. The rule implements Executive Order 13672, which was signed by President Obama on July 21.

"Americans believe in fairness and opportunity. No one should live in fear of being fired or passed over or discriminated against at work simply because of who they are or who they love," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "Laws prohibiting workplace discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity are long overdue, and we're taking a big step forward today to fix that."

EO 13672 tasked the department with updating the rules implementing EO 11246 to add gender identity and sexual orientation to the classes it protects. While 18 states, the District of Columbia and many businesses, large and small, already offer workplace protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees, July's executive order was the first federal action to ensure LGBT workplace equality in the private sector.

The press release notes that today's action becomes effective 120 days after being formally entered into the Federal Register and will apply to all "new and modified" civilian contracts with the federal government from that date forward.

Ashton Carter To Be Defense Nominee

Carter was Deputy Secretary of Defense from October 2011 to December 2013.  He's thought to be an uncontroversial choice, but you-know-who might try to block the nomination just because.

LIVE VIDEO: President Obama Announces Resignation Of Defense Secretary Hagel

The announcement is due at 11AM.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Resigns

The "pushed or jumped?" chatter is lighting up Twitter.

Breitbart Headline Of The Day

According to Breitbart, US Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch should face tough questioning before the Senate over her role in the 1992 Whitewater hearings.

The prosecutor has a long career built of some high profile cases but there is one case Lynch was involved in that few are talking about. Lynch was a part of Bill Clinton's Whitewater probe defense team in 1992. In 1992, the Clintons came under fire for investing in a perennially failing Arkansas real estate company known as Whitewater Development, a venture heavily subsidized by Clinton friend Jim McDougal in an effort to soften the losses the Clintons were experiencing as investors. The probe was widened to look into the failure of the Madison Guaranty Savings and Loan to which it was connected. Eventually the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission won several convictions handing jail time to the McDougals as well as Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker. The Clintons escaped any convictions in the probe. A New York Times article from March of 1992 reported that Lynch was one of the Clintons' Whitewater defense attorneys as well as a "campaign aide."

Slight problem. As reported today by Media Matters, Breitbart is shrieking about the wrong Loretta Lynch. The Lynch that was part of the Whitewater team is on the left in the photo below. Breitbart's post remains up and the usual screaming from the commenters is taking place. Vote Tea Party!

Ted Cruz: Hearing For Loretta Lynch Must Wait Until New Senate Takes Office

"President Obama’s Attorney General nominee deserves fair and full consideration of the United States Senate, which is precisely why she should not be confirmed in the lame duck session of Congress by senators who just lost their seats and are no longer accountable to the voters. The Attorney General is the President's chief law enforcement officer. As such, the nominee must demonstrate full and complete commitment to the law. Loretta Lynch deserves the opportunity to demonstrate those qualities, beginning with a statement whether or not she believes the President’s executive amnesty plans are constitutional and legal." - Sen. Ted Cruz, being predictable.

LIVE VIDEO: Obama Announces AG Pick

Obama To Nominate NYC Prosecutor Loretta Lynch To Replace Holder As AG

Via Reuters:

President Barack Obama will nominate Brooklyn federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch to replace the retiring Eric Holder as U.S. attorney general and if confirmed, she would become the first black woman to serve in the post, the White House said on Friday. The 55-year-old North Carolina native and Harvard-trained lawyer has deep experience in both civil rights and corporate fraud cases. Lynch is known for a low-key personality and stirred little controversy during two tenures as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Her nomination requires Senate confirmation. The Senate twice previously has voted to confirm her to federal prosecutor jobs, the last time in 2010. In a statement, White House spokesman Josh Earnest called Lynch "a strong, independent prosecutor" and said Obama would formally announce her nomination to be the nation's top law enforcement official at an event in the White House Roosevelt Room on Saturday.

The Human Rights Campaign applauds:

Upon news that President Obama will nominate Loretta Lynch to replace outgoing LGBT equality champion Eric Holder as Attorney General of the United States, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised the decision based on her record on civil rights. “Loretta Lynch will have big shoes to fill thanks to the incredible leadership of outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder and his unprecedented commitment to LGBT equality,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Based on her strong record on civil and human rights as a U.S. Attorney, we have no doubt she will continue that leadership as Attorney General. We look forward to working with her to ensure equal justice under the law for all LGBT Americans.”

Now comes the screaming from Teabagistan.

Sen. Ted Cruz: Hold Off On Eric Holder's Replacement Until New Senate Is Seated

"It is good news that Eric Holder has announced his resignation. Sadly, he has proven to be the most partisan attorney general in our history, repeatedly defying and refusing to enforce the law. It did not have to be this way, but Holder’s leadership has grievously undermined the Department of Justice’s long bipartisan tradition of independence and fidelity to law. To ensure that justice is served and that the Attorney General is not simply replaced with another extreme partisan who will likewise disregard the law, the Senate should wait until the new Congress is sworn in before confirming the next Attorney General. Allowing Democratic senators, many of whom will likely have just been defeated at the polls, to confirm Holder’s successor would be an abuse of power that should not be countenanced." - Sen. Ted Cruz, in a statement published on his website.

Today In Teabagistan

World Net Daily, Gateway Pundit, Breitbart, and Twitchy have settled on a headline theme.

HRC Head Chad Griffin: Obama Should Consider LGBT Successor To Eric Holder

"Some Attorneys General wait for history, others make history happen. Attorney General Holder made history for the LGBT community. He was our Robert F. Kennedy, lightening the burden of every American who faces legal discrimination and social oppression. We owe him a profound debt of gratitude for his legacy of advocacy and service. President Obama faces a historic opportunity in light of Attorney General Holder's departure. The President has expressed a commitment to appointing a cabinet that reflects the full diversity of the American people, and there are many richly-qualified candidates available to serve as the first openly-LGBT cabinet secretary. It would be a natural extension of this administration's enduring commitment to equality to send a message of visibility and inclusion by nominating such a candidate to serve in this historic role." - Human Rights Campaign Chad Griffin, via email.

Janet Napolitano Quits Homeland Security

Janet Napolitano today announced that she will be resigning her Cabinet post with the Obama administration to become the president of the California state university system.

Napolitano’s nomination by a committee of UC regents came after a secretive process that insiders said focused on her early as a high-profile, although untraditional, candidate who has led large public agencies and shown a strong interest in improving education. UC officials believe that her Cabinet experiences –- which include helping to lead responses to hurricanes and tornadoes and overseeing some anti-terrorism measures -- will help UC administer its federal energy and nuclear weapons labs and aid its federally funded research in medicine and other areas.

Napolitano will become the first woman to head the University of California's ten-school system since its founding 145 years ago.

Obama Nominates Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx As Transportation Secretary

President Obama has taken some flak over the lack of diversity in his Cabinet, including a dig delivered from the Nerd Prom podium this weekend by Conan O'Brien. Today he nominated Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx to succeed Ray LaHood as Secretary of Transportation. Foxx gained national prominence last year as the official host of the Democratic National Convention. During today's announcement LaHood urged Foxx to continue his campaign for high speed rail.  LaHood, incidentally, is a Republican.

Senate Confirms Hagel

It was a mere formality once the filibuster ended earlier today.

The Senate confirmed former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel (R) as the next U.S. Secretary of Defense on Tuesday, ending a long and contentious nomination process marked by an unprecedented GOP filibuster of a presidential cabinet level nominee. The final vote tally was 58 in favor, 41 opposed.

All of the opposed were Republicans.

Senate Busts Hagel Filibuster

Minutes ago the Senate voted to end the filibuster of Chuck Hagel's nomination for Secretary of Defense, clearing the way for a formal vote on his confirmation.

The vote was 71-27 to end debate and send the nomination to the Senate for a full vote, which is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Hagel's confirmation seems virtually assured, as Democrats control the Senate and none has said publicly they oppose him. Hagel, if approved, will succeed Leon Panetta and immediately inherit a budget crisis. Last week, the Pentagon announced that it plans to furlough the majority of its 800,000 civilian employees to help meet a $46 billion shortfall caused by automatic spending cuts that begin March 1 and its stop-gap budget that prevents shifting funds to urgent needs.

Sen. John McCain was among the Republicans who reversed their earlier votes. And so ends another transparent and failed GOP attempt to block President Obama on any issue.  Stand by for Log Cabin's whiny press release.

REPORT: Openly Gay CA Assembly Speaker John Perez Up For Secretary Of Labor

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, openly gay California Assembly Speaker John Perez is on the short list to replace Hilda Solis, who resigned as Secretary of Labor last month. If chosen and approved, Perez would become the first-ever gay member of a presidential cabinet.  Typical for these situations, Perez is being cagey about his prospects.

"Look, I'm always flattered if somebody thinks my work is worthy of other consideration, but I'm focused on being speaker for these next two years," he told The Bee. "And continuing to build back our economy, and continuing to build on the fiscal discipline that we've created here in California. And getting people back to work." There'd be a decidedly ironic element to such an appointment. Perez's cousin, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who'll also be termed out later this year, also has been casting around for another office to keep his up-and-down political career going.

Villaraigosa, who is personally close to Obama, had reportedly been seeking a Cabinet position himself, such as secretary of transportation. But that's not happening, for whatever reason - perhaps because he got himself photographed palling with Hollywood bad boy Charlie Sheen at the latter's opening of a new bar in Cabo San Lucas. It was not Villaraigosa's first foray into tabloid notoriety. The mayor is now publicly boosting Perez for the Cabinet. "I heard my cousin by the way is on the list and I'm glad he is. I've said to a number of people he would make a great secretary of labor," Villaraigosa said in an online chat, adding, "I wish him luck."

Perez will be term-limited out of the Assembly in 2014.

Chuck Hagel Grilled On Gay Rights

Clips are via AmericaBLOG where John Aravosis writes:

Former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel was asked twice today about gays in the military, and gave answers that sounded somewhat rambling and confused. Which is odd, since he was obviously prepared for these kind of questions after the controversy over the past month regarding his past anti-gay statements while serving in the Senate. Though many are telling me that this is Hagel – rambling, no matter what the question.

Secretary Clinton Wants Sleep

"I hope I get to sleep in. It will be the first time in many years. I have no office to go to, no schedule to keep, no work to do. That will probably last a few days then I will be up and going with my new projects. I have been working or attending school full-time since I was 13. This is going to be new for me. I don't know how I'm going to react to it, to be honest." - Hillary Clinton, speaking to ABC News about leaving the Obama administration.

President Obama Bids Farewell To Secretary Clinton Via 60 Minutes Interview

Pay attention to the slight ribbing at the end about a possible 2016 Clinton bid. This clip may not last on YouTube, so watch it now.

Code Pink Protester Interrupts John Kerry's Senate Confirmation Hearing