President Obama Nominates First Openly Gay Black Federal Judge
President Obama has never shied away from setting new trends. With the nomination of two openly gay black judges, he continues to set new standards and make the judiciary a more diverse institution.
On Tuesday the Senate approved three judicial nominations made by the president.
The nominees were Judge Darrin Gayles, who was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida; Judge Staci Yandle, who was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois; and Judge Salvador Mendoza, who was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington.
With a unanimous majority, the Senate approved Gayles with a 98-0 vote. Earlier in the day, the Senate approved Yandle along a party line vote of 52-44. With their approval, President Obama has nominated the most LGBT judges to the bench, reaching 10 judges now. Gayles also made history by becoming the first openly gay black judge to join the judiciary, according to the AP.
The third judge approved, Mendoza, received a vote of 92-4, becoming the first Latino to join the his court. In a blog post released by presidential counsel Neil Eggleston, the White House emphasized the importance of a diverse judiciary that reflects the country's diversity.
"These 'firsts' -- and these milestones -- are important, not because these judges will consider cases differently, but because a judiciary that better resembles our nation instills even greater confidence in our justice system, and because these judges will serve as role models for generations of lawyers to come," wrote Eggleston.
Although Yandle is not the first black lesbian to join the courts, her addition brings the number of women appointed to the bench by President Obama to 112, the most women appointed to federal courts by any president. Mendoza's appointment raises the number of Latino judges appointed by the president to 31, beating President George W. Bush's record.
Lambda Legal, a non profit organization that fights for LGBT civil rights via impact litigation, education and public policy work, acknowledged what has been championed by the president but also stressed that there is more work ahead.
"Today, it is more important than ever that our courts reflect the growing diversity of our country, but we have a long way to go," said Eric Lesh, Fair Courts Project Manager at Lambda Legal, in a statement. "There are nearly 900 federal judges in the U.S., and most are white men. Federal courts are charged with providing everyone with equal access to justice, and yet justice has not always been a reality for some. A diverse judiciary serves not only to improve the quality of justice, but to boost public confidence in the courts."
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