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PROGRAMSUCCESSx13BLACKHISTORY2012PAGE15WashingtonDCx14PresidentBarackObamaismovingatahistoricpacetotrytodiversifythenationx19sfederaljudiciaryNearlythreeofeveryfourpeoplehehasgottenconfirmedtothefederalbencharewomenorminorities.Heisthefirstpresidentwhohasnx19tselectedamajorityofwhitemalesforlifetimejudgeships.Morethan70percentofObamax19sconfirmedjudicialnomineesduringhisfirsttwoyearswerex1cnon-traditionalx1dornomineeswhowerenotwhitemales.Thatfarexceedsthepercentagesinthetwo-termadministrationsofBillClinton48.1percentandGeorgeW.Bush32.9percentaccordingtoSheldonGoldmanauthoroftheauthoritativebookx1cPickingFederalJudges.x1dx1cItisanabsolutelyremarkablediversityachievementx1dsaidGoldmanapoliticalscienceprofessorattheUniversityofMassachusettsatAmherstwhoisonlycountingjudgesonceeveniftheyfitmorethanonecategory.TheWhiteHouserecentlyhasbeentoutingitseffortstodiversifythefederalbenchduringObamax19stenurenowapproachingthreeyearsinoffice.ThepresidentwonSenateconfirmationofthefirstLatinatotheSupremeCourtJusticeSoniaSotomayor.AndwiththeconfirmationofJusticeElenaKaganheincreasedthenumberofwomenonthehighcourttothreeforthefirsttime.TheObamaadministrationalsonominatedandwonconfirmationofthefirstopenlygaymantoafederaljudgeshipformerClintonadministrationofficialJ.PaulOetkentoanopeninginNewYorkCity.x1cAllofuscanbeproudofPresidentObamafortakingthiscriticalsteptobreakdownanotherbarrierandincreasediversityinthefederaljudiciaryx1dSen.PatrickLeahyD-Vt.chairmanoftheSenateJudiciaryCommitteesaiduponOetkenx19sconfirmation.ThefirstopenlyhomosexualfederaljudgewasDeborahA.BattsinNewYorkCityalesbiannominatedbyClintonin1994.Ofthe98Obamanomineesconfirmedtodatetheadministrationsays21percentareAfrican-American11percentareHispanic7percentareAsian-Americanandalmosthalf-47percent-arewomen.Bycomparisonofthe322judgesconfirmedduringGeorgeW.Bushx19spresidency18percentwereminoritiesand22percentwerefemale.Ofthe372judgesconfirmedduringClintonx19sterms25percentwereminoritiesand29percentwerewomen.Inthesefiguressomejudgesfitintomorethanonecategory.LastweektheSenateconfirmedthefirstAfrican-Americanwomantositonthe6thU.S.CircuitCourtofAppealsinCincinnatiBerniceDonald.EarliershewasthefirstAfrican-AmericanwomanelectedasajudgeinTennesseethefirstappointedasfederalbankruptcyjudgeinthenationandfirstconfirmedasaU.S.districtjudgeinTennessee.ObamaalsohasdoubledthenumberofAsian-AmericanssittingonthefederalbenchincludingaddingDennyChintothe2ndU.S.CircuitCourtofAppealsinNewYorkastheonlyactiveAsianfederalappealscourtjudge.Therecurrentlyare14Asian-Americanfederaljudgesonthe810-judgeroster.x1cItx19sreallyamazingx1dsaidCarlTobiasalawprofessorattheUniversityofRichmondwhowroteabouttheincreasingdiversityonthefederalbenchduringObamax19sadministrationinanarticleintheWashingtonUniversityLawReview.x1cObamahasnominatedasmanyasweresittingonthebenchwhenhewasinaugurated.x1dFormorethan140yearstherewerenofemalesorminoritiesamongthenationx19sfederaljudges.ThefirstfemalefederalappellatejudgewasFlorenceAllenwhogainedherseatonthe6thU.S.CircuitCourtofAppealsin1934.70ofJudgesSelectedByPresidentObamaareMinoritiesorWomenThefirstfemaleU.S.DistrictCourtjudgewasBurnitaSheltonMatthewswhotookthebenchinWashingtonD.C.in1950.WilliamHenryHastieJr.wasthefirstAfrican-AmericanU.S.DistrictCourtjudgesittingintheVirginIslandsin1937beforebeingelevatedtothe3rdU.S.CircuitCourtofAppealsin1949.ReynaldoG.GarzabecamethefirstHispanicfederaljudgewhenhewasappointedtotheU.S.DistrictCourtinTexasin1961andHerbertChoybecamethefirstAsian-Americanfederaljudgewhenhewasappointedtothe9thU.S.CircuitCourtofAppealsin1971.ThurgoodMarshallbecamethefirstAfrican-AmericantoserveontheSupremeCourtin1967andSandraDayOx19Connorwasthefirstwomantobeelevatedtothenationx19shighestcourtin1981.Ithinkitx19salwaysgoodtohavediverseperspectiveswhetheritx19sgendersexualityorideologyx1dTobiassaid.ThosewhotrackdiversityonthefederalbencharepleasedwithObamax19sprogresssofarbutwantmorevoicesfromallofAmericax19scommunitiesinthefederalcourts.ObamahasnominatedthreeotheropenlygayjudicialnomineesaswellaswhatwouldbetheonlyactiveNativeAmericanonthefederalbenchifArvoMikkanenisconfirmedtoafederaljudgeshipinOklahoma.x1cThemorediversethecourtsthemoreconfidencepeoplehaveinourjudicialsystemx1dsaidNanAronoftheliberalAllianceforJustice.x1cHavingadiversejudiciaryalsoenrichesthedecision-makingprocess.x1dThemakeupofthefederalbenchcouldbeamajorissueduringtheSenateHouseandpresidentialelectionsin2012.ObamabasicallyhasuntiltheendofthisyeartogetasmanyofhisjudicialnomineesconfirmedaspossiblebecauseitisunlikelythatahighlypartisanSenatewillconfirmmanyjudgeswithapresidentialelectionloominginNovember2012.AccordingtotheFederalJudicialCenterthereare94vacanciesinthefederalcourtswith55nomineesawaitingSenateaction.x1cOncewegetintoanelectionyearthingsalwaysslowdownbothbecausepeoplex19sattentionisinotherplacesandalsobecausethepartyoutofpowerthinksx18IfIcanjustkeepthisvacancyopenforanotheryearmaybemypresidentwillfillitx19x1dsaidCurtLeveyheadoftheconservativeCommitteeforJusticeinaninterviewonx1cPBSNewsHour.x1dWithcasesonObamax19shealthcareplanthemilitaryx19sx1cdonx19taskdonx19ttellx1dpolicyandgaymarriageexpectedtoreachtheSupremeCourtinthefuturejudicialselectionwillbefrontandcenterforObamaandtheeventualRepublicannomineeAronsaid.x1cThecourtwillbeacentralissuex1dAronsaid.x1cItwillbeinpeoplex19smindswhentheygointotheballotbox.x1dPresidentObamaandCourtJusticeSoniaSotomayor