Senate Confirms Lesbian as Judge of U.S. Court of Federal Claims

[William769]

An out lesbian has been confirmed as a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims, according to the official website of the U.S. Senate.

The Senate confirmed Elaine Kaplan by a vote of 64-35 at 12:03 p.m. today. Kaplan, who currently is the acting director of the United States Office of Personnel Management, had been nominated for the position by President Barack Obama in March.

She will serve a 15-year term in this judgeship, where she will hear monetary claims against the federal government.

"These nominees have dedicated their careers to serving the public good," said Obama after nominating Kaplan as well as Patricia Campbell-Smith, reported the Human Rights Campaign. "And in so doing, they have displayed an unyielding commitment to justice and integrity. I am confident that they will serve the American people well from the Court of Federal Claims, and I am honored to nominate them today."

http://www.advocate.com/politics/2013/09/17/senate-confirms-lesbian-judge-us-court-federal-claims

[ProSense]

1. Here is the roll call:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00202

[William769]

3. Thanks.

[Botany]

21. thanx ..... I can spot a pattern in the no votes

NAYs ---35
Ayotte (R-NH)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Coats (R-IN)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Enzi (R-WY)
Fischer (R-NE)
Flake (R-AZ)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Heller (R-NV)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (R-WI)
Kirk (R-IL)
Lee (R-UT)
McConnell (R-KY)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rubio (R-FL)
Scott (R-SC)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Toomey (R-PA)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

[iandhr]

28. I am SHOCKED SHOCKED to find that gambling is going on here.

[Cha]

2. Mahalo William!

[William769]

4. ...

[Nye Bevan]

5. Does the official website note each appointee's sexual orientation?

And in 2013 is something like this really newsworthy?

[morningfog]

6. The official website did not note that she is a lesbian.

Last edited Tue Sep 17, 2013, 10:17 PM - Edit history (1)

And, yes it is newsworthy. Really chaps you, eh?

[Nye Bevan]

11. On second thoughts, if "HE" is a lesbian,

I take it back. That is kind of newsworthy. This could well be the first ever male lesbian federal judge.

[morningfog]

12. Typo fixed.

Still showing your colors though.

[mythology]

8. Given that only 13 states allow same sex marriage

given that gay "therapy" is still a thing, given that Ken Cuccinelli is trying to bring back sodomy laws, there are still assaults on people who either are or "look" gay, and there are 29 states where you can be fired for being gay, yeah, it's still kind of important that we recognize progress being made on civil rights.

Should it be newsworthy in an ideal world? No, but we're not there yet.

[Nye Bevan]

10. I guess being in CT we're a little bit ahead of other parts of the country.

People here mostly don't do that "OMG a GAY person got the job!!!!" thing.

[morningfog]

13. It is from the Advocate and HRC. I don't think either are doing "OMG a GAY person got the job!!!!"

I think you are just all too happy to take a shit in this thread.

[William769]

17. Thanks for letting us know all we need to know about you.

[Nye Bevan]

18. Any time, dude!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. yes, it is newsworthy whenever minorities get selected to important offices

because it's still a rarity.

do you not know that?

[Nye Bevan]

25. I just didn't think it was a big deal anymore.

In a world where Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple, Ellen DeGeneres has a popular talk show, and Captain Jack Harkness is a popular Doctor Who companion, does anyone really care?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

27. in the same world where we still dont have equal marriage/enda/genda

and hate crimes still happen to lgbt people. so yeah, its important

[morningfog]

30. You seem to care. For the wrong reasons, of course.

Using it to make some petty bullshit point. You know what I have noticed? A strong correlation between those who are racist and those who are also homophobes.

[Nye Bevan]

31. Easy, dude.

Just 2 more hidden posts for you before your transparency page is visible to all.

[morningfog]

33. Goad all you want. You are not fooling anyone on this site.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

36. this. nt

[UtahLib]

7. Finally - K&R

[Nye Bevan]

9. "Finally" what?

I really don't believe that this is the first lesbian judge ever. Or even the first lesbian federal judge.

[morningfog]

14. She was nominated on March 19. Finally confirmed.

Who's doing OMG a GAY, again?

[morningfog]

15. By the way, some the first openly lesbian federal judges have been confirmed earlier this year.

It is still news, regardless of how is upsets you.

[Nye Bevan]

16. Not so much "upset" as "mildly bemused".

I mean, how do they know? Who goes around asking every candidate for a federal judgeship what their sexual orientation is? Is it part of a form they have to fill out to get the job? Or does someone follow them around to check up on them?

[morningfog]

19. Riiiiight, mildly bemused. You aren't fooling anyone.

"In 2010, HRC recommended Kaplan, a longtime advocate for workplace inclusion, for judgeship."

http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/president-obama-nominates-open-lesbian-to-serve-on-u.s.-court-of-federal-cl

The is a story from HRC and the Advocate. They know because the advocated for her appointment.

[Nye Bevan]

22. That was actually a reply to your post 15,

in which you mentioned the first openly lesbian federal judges being confirmed earlier this year. It seems to me that the only way you could know that is if someone is somehow monitoring the sexual orientation of every federal judge. Is it not possible for a judge to be confirmed without anyone knowing, or caring about, his or her sexual orientation?

[morningfog]

32. Is it not possible to honor a lesbian judge without

your bullshit thread jack?

[Nye Bevan]

34. Actually, it is, simply by using the "Ignore" feature.

And don't call me Jack.

[William769]

20. Judge Walker who first struck down Proposition 8 in California

Was Gay and yes people made a big fucking deal out of it (you can use your selective memory here even though it was national news).

P.S. Yes I will refer back to post #17.

Gave a nice day.

[Nye Bevan]

24. I don't remember that being a big deal at the time.

As an example, here is the CNN story which covers the decision in detail without ever mentioning the sexual orientation of the judge:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/04/california.same.sex.ruling/index.html

[William769]

26. Like I said selective memory.

Here is one out of many http://www.wnd.com/2011/04/287077/ not to mention the national television national new coverage. But then again, may you don't get national news in CT.

[Nye Bevan]

29. I wasn't familiar with that website.

I guess it's not the kind of site I typically frequent.

WorldNetDaily (WND) is an American web site that publishes news and associated content from the perspective of U.S. conservatives and the political right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WND

But thanks for the link, anyway.

[William769]

35. Just showing who made it national news.

Of course it failed because we now have marriage equality in California.

P.S. And anyone who thinks Conservative don't help drive national news, I've got the Arrigoni Bridge for sale.