GLAAD President resigns After AT&T Controversy

The Huffington Post reports

The president of the national gay rights group GLAAD resigned from his position on Saturday night, according to reporter Michael Signorile.

Politico's Ben Smith reported earlier in the day that Jarrett Barrios was "under pressure to resign from within his own organization after aligning his group with AT&T's regulatory issues."

POLITICO's Eliza Krigman reported recently that GLAAD was among a number of progressive groups with no obvious institutional interest in telecom issues who received money from AT&T and subsequently issued public statements supporting AT&T's merger with T-Mobile. Another letter was sent from GLAAD to the FCC opposing possible net neutrality rules. GLAAD later rescinded the letter, claiming it was sent in error. The issue had created an uproar in the gay blogosphere.

Smith reported that Barrios was resisting efforts by the organization's board of directors to push him out, but according to Signorile, Barrios submitted a letter of resignation on Saturday evening.

The resignation capped a controversy that began with the startling news of GLAAD's backing of the AT&T/T-Mobile merger and then reports of a letter to the FCC written by GLAAD opposing net neutrality, which was later withdrawn. The circumstances around that letter had been covered up by GLAAD and Barrios, until he finally admitted he had sent the letter.