Effective June 7, 2009, EEOC Commissioner Naomi Earp has resigned from the Commission, leaving it with three members, two Democrats and one Republican. 

Earp, a Republican member of the Commission, had served as the Commission’s Chair for more than two years during the Bush administration until January 23, 2009, when President Obama named Democrat Stuart Ishimaru as acting Chair.  Earp had previously served as Commission Vice Chair from 2003 until August 2006, and was serving a term as EEOC Commissioner that would have ended July 1, 2010. 

Additionally, there may be another vacancy in the near future because President Obama has nominated Acting Vice Chair Christine Griffin to be deputy director of the Office of Personnel Management, and her term ends in July 2009 in any event.  Assuming Griffin is confirmed for this position, the only remaining EEOC members will be Acting Chair Ishimaru and Commissioner Constance Barker, a Republican.  The Commission’s fifth seat has been empty since August 2008 when Republican former Vice Chair Leslie Silverman’s term expired.