One of the most liberal voices in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Carl Sciortino, has announced his resignation from office.
He also announced that he was HIV positive.
Sciortino has a faultless track record for helping advance LGBT and social justice issues, including the right of same-sex couples to marry, banning discrimination against transgender people and expanding access to health care.
He will take over the running of Boston-based charity AIDS Action, the first HIV positive person to lead the group since it started in 1982.
In a statement, Sciortino announced:
“As a gay man living with HIV, I am honored to lead one of the country’s oldest and most effective organizations in the battle against this disease which has raged on over 30 years.
My goal for AIDS Action in the years ahead is simple: continue the work that has resulted in lowering the rate of new HIV diagnoses in Massachusetts; provide the multitude of services needed to keep those living with HIV/AIDS connected with health care providers; and continue the public conversation about HIV needed to reduce the stigma that is still so closely associated with this disease.”
NG22
It is important to note he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, not the United States House of Representatives. He ran to fill Ed Markey’s House seat (who in turn filled John Kerry’s old senate seat), but he lost the primary. Massachusetts is a difficult state to politically advance in because any major seat has many challengers who are all equally as liberal. It’s tough to stand out. I’m not surprised he’s leaving politics.
I wish him the best of luck.
Stache99
@NG22: Hey Scott Lively stood out. For all the wrong reasons of coarse.
DistingueTraces
I don’t get why he felt he had to resign.
gjg64
I remember the night he won his primary against an anti-gay incumbent Vincent Ciampa, and the look on the faces of the looser and his backers (including Brian Camenker a real hater). Carl was beaming and Ciampa and Camenker looked like the end was neigh! Priceless!!
Lance Mullholland
@DistingueTraces: It’s a brave move, but I was wondering that, too. In Texas, you get paid $40 per day when the legislature is in session (every two years) Everyone keeps their day jobs.
Maybe there are still enough Democrats in the MA House for the balance of power to remain static. In TX, nearly everyone thinks they’re Republicans since Ronald RayGun was pres. A Democrat resigning from either house would be a major set-back for the party here…
seaguy
@DistingueTraces: I am not sure how it works in MA but some state legislatures meet year round so it is a full time job in itself.
Lance Mullholland
Well, you see we have Gov. Rick Perry in Texas, so our legislature only has to meet every other year so that he can tell them that he hates the federal government (and Obama), and that we won’t expand Medicaid, and won’t participate in Obamacare by setting up our own insurance exchange.
Why, you may ask ? Because he has big hair, and recently bought hipster glasses – which make him appear to be lots smarter and less obtuse than he really is.
Thus, the people of Texas lose out, no matter how much or how little our state legislature meets. I live in Austin, which is an educated, enlightened island of hope in the middle of a vast & mostly ignorant state known as Texas. Unfortunately, Austin is the state capitol, and we must suffer the governor and legislature being here periodically. Mr. Perry is now launching his campaign to be the next Republican nominee for U.S. president.
Ben Dover
@Lance Mullholland: Wow – I had thought that only small, underpopulated, rinky-dink states like New Hampshire could get away with having part-time legislatures. I’m surprised to find out that Texas has one! No wonder things are so screwed up down there. Well as your gov might say… “oops!”