John Perez, First Openly Gay Leader Of California Legislature, Gets Sworn In

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The first openly gay lawmaker to lead either house of the California Legislature has been sworn in as speaker of the state Assembly.

John Perez, a Los Angeles Democrat, took the reins of the 80-member house on Monday, as the state tries to close a $20 billion budget deficit and unemployment remains above 12 percent.

The 40-year-old Perez says creating jobs and encouraging Democrats and Republicans to work together will be his top priorities. Democrats have majorities in the Assembly and Senate.

The speaker's position is being vacated by Assemblywoman Karen Bass, another Los Angeles Democrat, who is running for Congress and will be termed out at the end of the year.

Comments

[fifteen pounds]

12:33 AM on 03/02/2010

The only issue I see here is how, magically, a cousin of the mayor of LA is even in Sacto....the issue here is not being gay, or Dem, or anything else but cronyism and corruption.

[SPQR1775]

11:08 PM on 03/01/2010

Great! The democrats again has move the ball forward, Hipanic and Gay, I see the next time the gay issue come to a vote, it will be overwhelmingly repealed. If the courts don't do it soon as they might. Regardless, CHANGE is always refreshing, closer to the utopian society expose in the constitution!

[sillyprogressafarian]

05:11 PM on 03/01/2010

So he likes men? wow, really? how news worthy...