Obama Nominates Out Latina Lesbian Nitza Quiñones To Federal Bench

People For The American Way cheers the latest round of federal judgeship nominations issued by the White House:

People For the American Way today commended President Obama for nominating three qualified Pennsylvanians to seats on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The three nominees, Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro, Luis Felipe Restrepo, and Jeffrey L. Schmehl, continue the gender and ethnic diversity that President Obama has brought to the federal courts. Two of the three are of Hispanic heritage, and one, Quiñones, would become the first openly gay Hispanic federal judge. Notably, the professional diversity of these nominees is also significant. Quiñones’s and Schmehl’s professional careers include time as public defenders and Restrepo’s background includes work with a community legal services program.

PFAW notes that obstruction by Senate Republicans have kept numerous bench positions vacant for many months.