Equal Rep had been pressing to have Fred Hochberg appointed as Commerce Secretary.

After Obama’s first choice, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, withdrew Equal Rep began lobbying for Hochberg. Instead, Obama nominated him to become Chair of the Export-Import Bank. 

When Obama’s second choice, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) dropped out less than a week after being selected, the group renewed its call for Hochberg to be appointed to Commerce, urging its members to write, call and e-mail the White House.

From 1998 through 2000, Hochberg served as deputy, then acting administrator, of the Small Business Administration, an agency elevated to cabinet rank by President Bill Clinton, with more than 4,000 employees and 100 offices across the country. 

At the SBA, he directed the delivery of a comprehensive set of financial and business development programs for entrepreneurs, with particular outreach to women and minorities. He also served on President Clinton’s Management Council.

From 1994 to 1998, Hochberg worked as founder and president of Heyday Company, a private investment firm managing real estate, stock market investments, and venture capital projects. Prior to that, he was president and chief operating officer of the Lillian Vernon Corporation, where he led the transformation of a small family mail order company into a publicly traded direct marketing corporation, one of the great success stories of American entrepreneurship.

Hochberg still is awaiting confirmation to the Export-Import Bank.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States, known as Ex-Im Bank, is the official export credit agency of the United States. Ex-Im Bank’s mission is to assist in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets.

Ex-Im Bank enables U.S. companies — large and small — to turn export opportunities into real sales that help to maintain and create U.S. jobs and contribute to a stronger national economy.

In announcing Locke’s nomination for Commerce Secretary Obama praised him as a man who shares his vision for turning around the economy, and someone who knows the American dream.

A Democrat, Locke was the nation’s first Chinese-American governor, serving two terms from 1997 to 2005.

If confirmed by the Senate, he would assume control of a large agency with a broad portfolio that includes overseeing the 2010 census, oceans policy and many aspects of international trade.

The job of Commerce Secretary remains unfilled. Obama’s first choice, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, withdrew amid disclosures that a grand jury was investigating the awarding of state contracts in New Mexico. His second choice, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) dropped out less than a week after being selected, citing “irresolvable conflicts” with the new administration.

Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke – the nation’s first Chinese American governor – is reportedly on the shortlist for the cabinet position, but Equal Rep says that Hochberg would be a better choice. 

If nominated and confirmed, Hochberg would be the first openly gay person to serve in a cabinet.

From 1998 through 2000, Hochberg served as deputy, then acting administrator, of the Small Business Administration, an agency elevated to cabinet rank by President Bill Clinton, with more than 4,000 employees and 100 offices across the country. 

At the SBA, he directed the delivery of a comprehensive set of financial and business development programs for entrepreneurs, with particular outreach to women and minorities. He also served on President Clinton’s Management Council.

From 1994 to 1998, Hochberg worked as founder and president of Heyday Company, a private investment firm managing real estate, stock market investments, and venture capital projects. Prior to that, he was president and chief operating officer of the Lillian Vernon Corporation, where he led the transformation of a small family mail order company into a publicly traded direct marketing corporation, one of the great success stories of American entrepreneurship.

Hochberg is a longtime friend of Sen. Hillary Clinton, and actively supported her presidential nomination. When Democrats nominated Obama Hochberg raised more than $100,000 for his presidential campaign.

“Considering Mr. Hochberg’s impressive list of qualifications which entails more than 25 years of experience in business and government, we believe he should be considered once again to serve our Country as Commerce Secretary,” said Paul Sousa, Equal Rep founder. 

“In addition to being extremely qualified, he also brings a lot of diversity to the table. Hochberg would be the 1st ever openly gay Cabinet member in United States history and would be the 1st Jewish member for this current Cabinet.”

Sousa said that Equal Rep is coordinating a national campaign asking participants to phone and email President Obama’s White House office daily to call for Hochberg to be named to Commerce.

Hochberg still is awaiting confirmation to the Export-Import Bank.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States, known as Ex-Im Bank, is the official export credit agency of the United States. Ex-Im Bank’s mission is to assist in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets.

Ex-Im Bank enables U.S. companies — large and small — to turn export opportunities into real sales that help to maintain and create U.S. jobs and contribute to a stronger national economy.

Holder also is the only African-American currently in President Barack Obama’s Cabinet. He had strong bipartisan support in Monday’s vote, plus he has the approval of major LGBT groups.

Holder previously served in the Clinton administration. In 1997, Clinton appointed Holder to Deputy Attorney General.

In a 1999 appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, Holder called for LGBT inclusion in federal hate crime law, noting that currently the law “provides no coverage whatsoever for violent hate crimes committed because of bias based on the victim’s sexual orientation, gender or disability, and these crimes pose a serious problem for our nation.”

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act was named for the 21-year-old college student who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. It would add sexual orientation to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.

The bill will be reintroduced in the next session of Congress and President-elect Obama has said that if it passes he will sign it.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Patrick Leahy, called Tuesday night’s confirmation vote “historic.” He noted that Holder’s confirmation hearing was held while American was celebrating the 80th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.

Leahy said the confirmation would take the nation up the path that King wanted, where people are judged by the content of their character.

A small group of Republicans said they opposed Holder. They argued he was hostile to gun control and not fully supportive of the war on terrorism.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 17-2 to favorably recommend Holder for the post.

The only senators who voted against Holder in committee were Republicans John Cornyn of Texas and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

Holder previously served in the Clinton administration. In 1997 Clinton appointed Holder to Deputy Attorney General.

He has a strong LGBT rights record.

In a 1999 appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, Holder called for LGBT inclusion in federal hate crime law, noting that currently the law “provides no coverage whatsoever for violent hate crimes committed because of bias based on the victim’s sexual orientation, gender or disability, and these crimes pose a serious problem for our nation.”

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act was named for the 21 year old college student who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. It would add sexuality to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.

The bill passed the House in 2007 and the White House threatened to veto it. In an effort to get around a veto, the Senate version was tied to the 2008 it was stripped out.

The bill will be reintroduced in the next session of Congress and President Obama has said that if it passes he will sign it.

Before Wednesday’s committee vote, Holder’s supporters said he wouldn’t be afraid to tell President Barack Obama he was wrong. They praised him for declaring that waterboarding as an interrogation technique is torture. And they said he would be tough on crime.

“When asked whether this country at is at war he said yes,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “He indicated the enemy have declared war on this country long before we realized it. He sees the battlefield as the entire globe.”

Graham said he supports Holder’s view that the country needs to interrogate terrorism suspects in accordance with American values.

“I am confident this new attorney general will have a balanced approach and I look forward to working with him. I know he’s made mistakes and so have I,” Graham said.

Several senators praised Holder for his willingness to admit his mistake, when he told the White House he was leaning in favor of Bill Clinton’s pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich – whose wife was a major Democratic contributor.

Holder at the time of the pardon was Deputy Attorney General. Rich was an arms dealer who had illegal dealings with Iran.

Holder told senators Tuesday that that he regrets not studying the proposed pardon more before discussing it with President Bill Clinton. At the time, Holder said he was neutral, leaning toward supporting the pardon. But in hindsight he said he should have consulted with prosecutors and studied the issue more closely before making that statement.

Holder was appointed by President Clinton to Deputy Attorney General in 1997.  He has a strong LGBT rights record.

His nomination has the support of major civil rights groups including the Human Rights Campaign, the NAACP, the National Council of La Raza, and the National Women’s Law Center.

In a 1999 appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, Holder called for LGBT inclusion in federal hate crime law, noting that currently the law “provides no coverage whatsoever for violent hate crimes committed because of bias based on the victim’s sexual orientation, gender or disability, and these crimes pose a serious problem for our nation.”

While Holder’s confirmation hearing was underway before the Judiciary Committee, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was voting overwhelmingly for Hillary Rodham Clinton to become the next secretary of state.

The 16-1 approval by the committee paves the way for a full Senate vote after President-elect Barack Obama takes office on Jan. 20.

During her confirmation hearing earlier this week ,Clinton said that if confirmed as Secretary of State she would review policies to see what could be changed to assist LGBT personnel at the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other foreign affairs agencies. 

U.S. Foreign Service personnel – as well as civil service and contract employees – are required to serve a large portion of their careers at U.S. embassies and missions overseas.  However, the partners of LGBT personnel receive no assistance while accompanying employees on these mandatory assignments.  

Among many other obstacles, LGBT partners lack access to affordable health insurance coverage and resources for moving abroad.  

During overseas tours, employees’ partners do not receive assistance in obtaining a visa and lack access to employment opportunities, emergency evacuation, and embassy medical units, which all afforded to married heterosexual couples. 

Holder goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee Jan. 15. For conservative Republicans, he is the liberal face of nominees to come as Obama remakes the federal judiciary, and possibly the Supreme Court.

Republicans also want to show they still have some clout in the Senate – enough votes to stop a nomination with a filibuster.

Holder is expected to eventually win the AG job, but not without a fight.

The Human Rights Campaign and other human and civil rights groups have begun a campaign to ensure Holder gets through the nomination process. HRC President Joe Solmonese joined leaders from the NAACP, the National Council of La Raza, and the National Women’s Law Center on Capitol Hill to show their support for Holder.

Holder has a strong LGBT rights record.

After graduating from Columbia Law School, Holder joined the Department of Justice’s Attorney General’s Honors Program. 

In 1988, he was nominated for and confirmed as Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  In 1993, President Clinton nominated Holder for United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, and he was confirmed later that year.  

In this role, he worked vigorously to reduce crime and increase neighborhood safety.  Notably, he emphasized hate crimes enforcement to ensure that bias-motivated crimes would receive adequate resources, attention, and punishment. Hate crimes continued to be a priority for Holder after his 1997 appointment by President Clinton to Deputy Attorney General.  

In a 1999 appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, Holder called for LGBT inclusion in federal hate crime law, noting that currently the law “provides no coverage whatsoever for violent hate crimes committed because of bias based on the victim’s sexual orientation, gender or disability, and these crimes pose a serious problem for our nation.”

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act was named for the 21-year-old college student who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. It would add sexual orientation to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.

The bill will be reintroduced in the next session of Congress and President-elect Obama has said that if it passes, he will sign it.

Meanwhile, a grassroots movement has begun to have Fred P. Hochberg nominated to be the next Secretary of Commerce. The openly gay Hochberg is dean of the New School for Management in New York.

The Obama transition team is scrambling to find a replacement for Bill Richardson who withdrew his name from the nomination.

“Hochberg is the most qualified candidate for the job,” the Boston-based Equal Rep said in a statement. Equal Rep works to get LGBT candidates placed in office.

From 1998 through 2000, Hochberg served as deputy, then acting administrator, of the Small Business Administration, an agency elevated to cabinet rank by President Bill Clinton, with more than 4,000 employees and 100 offices across the country. 

At the SBA, he directed the delivery of a comprehensive set of financial and business development programs for entrepreneurs, with particular outreach to women and minorities. He also served on President Clinton’s Management Council.

From 1994 to 1998, Hochberg worked as founder and president of Heyday Company, a private investment firm managing real estate, stock market investments, and venture capital projects. Prior to that, he was president and chief operating officer of the Lillian Vernon Corporation, where he led the transformation of a small family mail order company into a publicly traded direct marketing corporation, one of the great success stories of American entrepreneurship.

“It was devastating to learn that gay Americans wouldn’t have a seat at the table within Barack Obama’s Cabinet administration. They are the only minority group to have never been appointed in the history of the United States.” said Paul Sousa, Equal Rep founder. “Hochberg is supremely qualified and this opening is the perfect opportunity for our President-elect to show gay Americans they have not been forgotten and he is truly committed to equal representation.”

Latino groups want the Obama transition team to pick another Hispanic to replace Richardson – who had been the new administration’s most prominent Latino official.Women’s groups have said they want another female in the Cabinet.

One notable name on the list is Michael Guest, one of only two openly gay ambassadors ever to represent the United States overseas. Guest resigned from the foreign service in mid-career last December to protest the State Department’s treatment of same-sex partners of diplomats.

For her team of foreign policy experts, the nation’s third female secretary of state is expected to draw heavily from the staff of the first, Madeleine Albright, who was an early supporter of Clinton’s unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

And to deal with internal Obama administration affairs, State Department bureaucratic politics and media pressures, the former first lady appears set to tap current Senate aides and former White House “Hillaryland” stalwarts, whose reputation for insularity and staunch protectiveness has already set off anxiety among career foreign service officers.

State Department officials say they have been told to expect visits as early as next week from Clinton advisers who are working with President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming transition team. Members of the new administration’s team have been at State since mid-November, getting briefings and visiting officials there. Neither the transition team nor Clinton’s office would comment.

But some Latinos are grumbling it is not enough after all the support they gave him in the campaign, and gays and Asian-Americans are pushing for some representation in remaining Cabinet announcements. But overall Obama is allaying some early concerns that a black president wouldn’t need to put so much importance on diversity of those working under him.

“The question was: Because he’s black, how much pressure would he feel to be more traditional with appointments?” said Jamal Simmons, a Democratic consultant who worked with the Obama campaign. “The leadership of the campaign in the beginning wasn’t very diverse, so there were questions about that. But I don’t hear those questions any more.”

In Obama’s seven Cabinet announcements so far, white men are the minority with two nominations – Timothy Geithner at Treasury and Robert Gates at Defense. Three are women – Janet Napolitano at Homeland Security, Susan Rice as United Nations ambassador and Hillary Rodham Clinton at State.

With Clinton set to replace Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright was jokingly asked at an appearance this week whether there will ever be a male secretary of state again. There probably will be “someday,” she told her audience of business executives at the Fortune 500 Forum.

The United Nations ambassador is not a Cabinet position under President George Bush, but it was under former President Bill Clinton and Obama said it will be in his administration. His nominee, Susan Rice, is black, as is attorney general nominee Eric Holder.

Bush and Clinton also made a point of diversity in their Cabinets when they moved into the White House. Bush’s first Cabinet had four women, two Asian-Americans, two blacks and one Hispanic. Clinton, who promised to appoint a Cabinet that “looks like America,” had three women, two Hispanics and four blacks when he first took office.

Latino groups applauded the selection of Richardson, although some were disappointed that the Mexican-American governor was not chosen for secretary of state after Obama interviewed him for the job. A reporter from Spanish-language television network Telemundo asked Obama to respond to Hispanics’ concerns that there aren’t more Latinos advising him and that Richardson got the “consolation prize.”

Obama responded that he’s only appointed about half the Cabinet so far and when he’s done, “I think people are going to say, this is one of the most diverse Cabinets and White House staffs of all time.”

Obama transition head John Podesta has been meeting with Hispanic groups and hearing their suggestions for other Latinos who could be considered for high-level administration positions. Democratic officials say Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., is the leading contender to be U.S. trade representative.

Latinos are the largest minority group in the country, comprising 15 percent of the U.S. population, and helped Obama win in key battleground states such as New Mexico and Florida.

“I definitely don’t think we should characterize it as a consolation prize, but it’s not enough,” said Brent Wilkes, executive director of League of United Latin American Citizens.

Wilkes said the Richardson pick gets the Obama team on its way to mollifying some of the concerns raised “and if you trust what the transition team is saying, Latino leaders should be pleased” after all nominations are made. “And we do trust them,” Wilkes said.

Floyd Mori, chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, said with blacks and Hispanics chosen for the Cabinet, “what is missing now is an Asian-American.” He said given Obama’s upbringing in Hawaii and his understanding of their community, they are optimistic he will appoint at least one. He suggested Illinois veterans affairs director Tammy Duckworth, former Washington Gov. Gary Locke or Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif.

Joe Solmonese, president of the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, sent a letter to Obama this week asking him to name labor leader Mary Beth Maxwell, a lesbian, as labor secretary. Solmonese said that he did not believe there had been an openly gay Cabinet member before, but he’s confident that will change with Obama.

“Not only will we expect it, but we fully believe that it will happen,” he added.

An analysis by New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service and The Washington Post found that of the 28 White House staffers Obama has appointed so far, 43 percent are women and 29 percent are a racial minority. The analysis examined other areas of diversity – a third have a tie to Obama’s hometown of Chicago, half worked on his campaign and two-thirds have advanced degrees.

Obama also promised to have Republicans in his Cabinet, but so far only has one in Gates. He declined to promise any more when asked if that would be it.

Todd Harris, a Republican operative, gave Obama credit for how he is handling appointments.

“He really seems to be reaching out to people that he doesn’t need to reach out to politically,” said Harris, who worked for Sen. John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign. “He is not filling his administration with a bunch of Illinois cronies and he really is getting people with a diverse set of views. As an American, that’s a breath of fresh air.”

The Human Rights Campaign said that Holder, the former deputy attorney general in the Clinton Administration, has proved himself to be a strong advocate for fairness and basic rights and an unswerving proponent of fully-inclusive federal hate crimes legislation.

“In Eric Holder, President-Elect Obama has chosen an attorney general who has demonstrated his dedication to civil rights, protecting communities from hate violence, and the fair and equal application of our laws,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

“Eric Holder has recognized the deleterious effect that hate and bias crimes have not just on victims, but on entire communities. President-Elect Obama’s appointment continues to prove his commitment to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.”

Holder’s appointment is the latest in a series of moves by President-elect Obama that illustrate his commitment to fairness and LGBT equality, said Solmonese.

Obama’s Transition Project has  instituted a fully inclusive nondiscrimination policy for those applying for positions within the new administration. In addition, a number of openly gay people have been selected to contribute their considerable expertise to the transition.

Two weeks ago, the Obama Transition Project published an extensive agenda for the next four years, including a section on key policies for LGBT people and families, on its website. The Obama-Biden plan reiterates strong support for inclusive hate-crimes and employment discrimination protections, repeal of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act and “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, and a stronger and more strategic response to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic.

After graduating from Columbia Law School, Holder joined the Department of Justice’s Attorney General’s Honors Program.

In 1988 he was nominated for and confirmed as Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  In 1993 President Clinton nominated Holder for United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, and he was confirmed later that year. 

In this role he worked vigorously to reduce crime and increase neighborhood safety.  Notably, he emphasized hate crimes enforcement to ensure that bias-motivated crimes would receive adequate resources, attention, and punishment.  Hate crimes continued to be a priority for Holder after his 1997 appointment by President Clinton to Deputy Attorney General. 

In a 1999 appearance before the House Judiciary Committee Holder called for LGBT inclusion in federal hate crime law, noting that currently the law “provides no coverage whatsoever for violent hate crimes committed because of bias based on the victim’s sexual orientation, gender or disability, and these crimes pose a serious problem for our nation.”

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act was named for the 21-year-old college student who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. It would add sexual orientation to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.

The bill passed the House in 2007 and the White House threatened to veto it. In an effort to get around a veto the Senate version was tied to the 2008 defense authorization bill.  It passed but then went to conference where it was stripped out.

The bill will be reintroduced in the next session of Congress and President-elect Obama has said that if it passes he will sign it.

A Democratic official says the two former presidential rivals met Thursday afternoon in Obama’s downtown office. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to release the information.

The motorcade of Clinton, who receives Secret Service protection as a former first lady, was seen leaving the office complex shortly before Obama left for the day. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines would say only “Senator Clinton had no public schedule yesterday.”

Obama has surrounded himself with several former staffers of Bill Clinton’s presidency. Some of them are pushing Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Other senators, including Democrat John Kerry of Massachusetts and Republican Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, also are thought to be under consideration.