I try to keep any mocking of the Human Rights Campaign to a minimum. Not because I’m a fan (they sure do have a whole lot of parties), but mainly because it’s a crowded market. There is no dearth of people taking shots, well deserved, at the HRC and its penchant for fund raising over serious political work.

While this story is dated by two days hopefully it will cause you to pause a bit if you are thinking of sending the organization a late in the year donation. Last week, the organization sent a note to President-elect Barack Obama suggesting he choose Linda Sanchez as labor secretary.

Good choice really. She represents the 39th Congressional district in California,  serves on the House Committee on Education and Labor and is a co-founder of the Labor and Working Families Caucus.

According to HRC, Obama couldn’t find a better person to head the Labor Department, until they suddenly heard of someone named Mary Beth Maxwell.

“While we remain supportive of Representative Sánchez’s candidacy, it has come to our attention that Mary Beth Maxwell is also being considered for this crucial position,” HRC president Joe Solmonese wrote to the president elect. “Given Ms. Maxwell’s long history of leadership on labor issues, HRC is pleased to also endorse Mary Beth Maxwell for Secretary of Labor.”

Mmmmmm.  Aside from the group’s schizophrenia, a more troubling question is this. Why wasn’t a gay rights organization pushing for Maxwell in the first place? Her credentials are progressive/liberal perfect, she has the respect of people in the labor field, and she’s a lesbian raising a kid. Was she too gay?

An attorney general or other high-ranking Justice Department official would have a great impact on federal law.

A presidential press secretary would be a highly visible representative of the LGBT community.

And the day we have an openly LGBT Secretary of Defense would be historic for so many reasons.

But most of these positions would be reflective of a pro-equality presidential administration. One place where an LGBT person could exercise a great deal of discretion in a way that would benefit the community in untold ways would be the Department of Health and Human Services.

He or she could direct resources to HIV/AIDS, enhance LGBT health at all ages, and make positive changes for LGBT families. He or she could also draw attention to LGBT aging issues, an area that has been largely unaddressed.

Joe Solmonese is the president of the Human Rights Campaign

Go back to the main story for more opinions on where we need LGBT officials.