Senate Makes History: Confirms First Openly Gay Circuit Judge

Heading an amazing “infographic” (below) on President Obama’s Judicial Nominees is the statement:

Creating a judicial pool for the 21st Century, one with intellect, fair-mindedness and integrity that resembles the nation that it serves, is a top priority for President Obama and his administration. In fact, the President’s nominations for federal judges embody an unprecedented commitment to expanding the racial, gender and experiential diversity of the men and women who enforce our laws and deliver justice.

And today “the Senate unanimously confirmed Todd Hughes to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Like all of the President’s judicial nominees, Hughes has the intellect, experience, integrity, and temperament to be a successful judge.” The White House adds:” He is also gay.”

Kathryn Ruemmler, Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President, writes on the occasion:

The United States Courts of Appeals are the second-highest courts in the nation – a level just below the Supreme Court – and there has never been an openly gay judge to serve on a Court of Appeals until now. Hughes’s historic confirmation is yet another “first” among President Obama’s federal judges. Many of the President’s circuit judges have broken new diversity barriers – including three Hispanic, two Asian American, and one African American — who are “firsts” in their respective courts.

She concludes, “We look forward to the ‘seconds’ and ‘thirds’ who will come after Todd Hughes and his fellow ‘firsts’ currently serving on our courts.”

And indeed there will be — or, should be — many “seconds” and “thirds” since, of the 13 judicial candidates still awaiting Senate confirmation ( two D.C. Circuit Court nominees and 11 district court nominees), nine are women and four are African-American.

The Huffington Post says:

And, like Hughes, some of them would make history if confirmed. Debra Brown would be the first African-American district judge in the Northern District of Mississippi, and Landya McCafferty, Susan Watters and Elizabeth Wolford would be the first female district judges in their districts (New Hampshire, Montana and the Western District of New York, respectively).

Congratulations Judge Hughes, congratulations President Obama and, above all, congratulations to the American people for finally beginning to see a reflection — a resemblance — of itself in those who administer, represent and judge us.