Less than a day after Brian Ellner withdrew his name as a candidate for the top spot at Empire State Pride Agenda after MANY questioned his level of experience he would bring to the job and the fact that he’s a Democrat political opportunism who aligns himself with Republican Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for gain, now Ross Levi has been named its new executive director. Levi had previously been the group’s Director of Public Policy & Education.  (Gee, hiring from within,  SAFE and REDUNDANT)

Levi will oversee the Pride Agenda, Inc.’s legislative and political activities, as well as the education and community organizing work of the Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation. The Pride Agenda is New York’s largest statewide LGBT civil rights organization, with an almost $4 million budget and 25 full-time staff.

Ever wonder what aged vanilla looked like?  Here’s your answer.

Prior to serving as Director of Public Policy & Education, Levi was the Pride Agenda’s Legislative Counsel from 2000 to 2003 and Director of Public Policy and Governmental Affairs from 2004 to 2006. During his time at the Pride Agenda he has been actively involved with the passage of dozens of laws, ordinances, regulations and Executive Orders on the state and local level affecting New York’s LGBT community, including statewide measures like: the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act; the Hate Crimes Act of 2000; making the state’s 9/11 relief inclusive of same-sex couples; guaranteeing domestic partners hospital visitation, legal authority over a loved one’s bodily remains, access to Family Court and medical decision making authority; prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression in state employment; and securing over $50 million of funding for LGBT health and human services.

Oh great a lawyer.  You know I hate to break this to The Empire Pride Agenda this late in the game but we need based activism and advocacy.  I am sure Ross is a very nice guy.  But will he have the balls to lead and get down and dirty.  Or will he just be abother “expensive suit” talking head like Solmonese (HRC) and Barrios. (GLAAD)

My guess is the latter.  *sigh*