President nominates gay lawyer J. Paul Oetken to be federal judge
Fri. January 28, 2011 12:09 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
j. paul oetken
photo credit // findlaw.com
New York City -
President Obama has nominated a gay man, J. Paul Oetken, to be a federal judge.
If confirmed, Oetken would be the first openly gay man to serve on the federal bench, the New York Times reported.
Oetken served as a White House attorney and Justice Department attorney under President Clinton.
He was nominated by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY).
"I am looking for people who fit the three criteria [of legal excellence, moderation of views and diversity], and I was shocked to learn there were no openly gay male judges on the entire federal bench," Schumer told the New York Times.
Oetken is currently associate counsel for Cablevision. He's a graduate of the University of Iowa and Yale Law School, and also clerked for Supreme Court Justice Henry Blackmun.
If confirmed, Oetken would be the first openly gay man to serve on the federal bench, the New York Times reported.
Oetken served as a White House attorney and Justice Department attorney under President Clinton.
He was nominated by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY).
"I am looking for people who fit the three criteria [of legal excellence, moderation of views and diversity], and I was shocked to learn there were no openly gay male judges on the entire federal bench," Schumer told the New York Times.
Oetken is currently associate counsel for Cablevision. He's a graduate of the University of Iowa and Yale Law School, and also clerked for Supreme Court Justice Henry Blackmun.