Joe Solmonese leaving as head of HRC

Towleroad reports: The Human Rights Campaign confirmed rumors on Saturday that Joe Solmonese will leave as head of the organization. Contrary to reports that said he'd be leaving in December, Solmonese will be staying on until his contract expires in March 2012. The press release highlights the accomplishments over his 6-year tenure.

A good many gay intellectuals [Ed. note: myself included] regard the HRC as the Halliburton of gay rights - a cog in the "non-profit industrial complex," monopolizing gay politics by dint of its fabulous piles of money and establishment connections.

Calling for Solmonese's resignation has been a common refrain. In late 2009, he was attacked for urging the LGBT community to be patient with President Obama - to give him the benefit of the doubt until his last day in 2017. Solmonese's resignation was demanded because of this alleged pandering to the political class and his slowness in getting the Defense of Marriage Act and Don't Ask, Don't Tell repealed. Andrew Sullivan said much the same thing in an angry interview.

But now it looks like that patience has paid off - well, sorta. DOMA is very slowly withering (though its death is by no means assured and Obama's waffling is appalling). Don't Ask, Don't Tell has been finally, if fitfully, revoked. Gay marriage is increasingly becoming a fact. Critics were right to be steamed about the inching progress, but perhaps Solmonese was right, too, when he said, "Whatever you think of the Administration’s first nine months, you don’t pass laws by sitting out. You pass laws by sitting at the table."