National LGBT Bar Association Applauds Committee Vote for Judith Levy; Urges Full Senate Confirmation for Openly Gay Judicial Nominee

Association Also Expresses Concern Over Recent Derailment of Other Openly Gay Nominee

 
Washington, DC – The National LGBT Bar Association applauded a Senate Judiciary Committee vote today advancing the nomination of Judith Levy to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Levy, who is openly gay, currently serves as an Assistant United States Attorney. The Judiciary Committee voted in favor of advancing Levy’s nomination to the full Senate.
 
“Judith Levy is an accomplished and experienced legal professional who will serve the people of Michigan, and the United States, well,” said D’Arcy Kemnitz, executive director of The LGBT Bar. “As our country diversifies, it is imperative that our judiciary reflect the people, families and nation it is called to serve. Just as women, African-Americans, Latinos and others have made our judicial system stronger through their expertise and experiences, openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender judges and attorneys also ensure our courts reflect our country. We now call on the full Senate to vote on Levy’s nomination without delay.”
 
If confirmed, Levy would be the ninth openly lesbian or gay federal judge. She previously served as Chief of the Civil Rights Unit during her time as U.S. Attorney, and was also a trial attorney for the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Council. Her nomination has received strong support from numerous organizations, including the American Bar Association, which has characterized her as “Unanimously Well Qualified.”
 
Earlier this year, the nomination of another openly gay nominee, William Thomas, was pulled following an objection by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). Thomas, who was nominated by President Obama in November 2012 to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, would have been the nation’s first openly gay African-American federal judge. The LGBT Bar cautioned today that Senators must not block the nominations of qualified judicial nominees on the basis of ethnicity or sexual orientation.
 
“The proper role of the Senate is to advise and consent on judicial nominees based on their legal qualifications, not to delay or block those nominations for political purposes or gain,” said Kemnitz. “Majority Leader Reid has taken historic steps to stop the obstruction of judicial nominations, and we expect Levy to receive a full Senate vote. Anything short of an up-or-down vote would be an affront to the nominations process.”
 
For more information on The LGBT Bar Association, visit www.LGBTBar.org

###

The National LGBT Bar Association is a national association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, law students, activists, and affiliated lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender legal organizations. The Association promotes justice in and through the legal profession for the LGBT community in all its diversity.

 

www.lgbtbar.org