A first gay justice?

Gerstein:

President Barack Obama is looking to advance diversity with his pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter — and early speculation has focused on whether he’ll pick a woman, or perhaps the first Hispanic justice.

But gay rights groups — disappointed that Obama didn’t pick an openly gay man or woman for his Cabinet — are pushing him to put the first openly gay justice on the Supreme Court.

Within hours of word of Souter’s departure, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund was hailing the candidacy of a First Amendment scholar and former dean of Stanford Law School, Kathleen Sullivan. “Out lesbian a contender for Supreme Court,” one of the group’s web sites declared.

Another Stanford law professor on the “frequently mentioned” lists, Pam Karlan, has been open about being a lesbian, colleagues and former students say. In response to an e-mail from POLITICO, Karlan expressed no reticence about discussing her sexual orientation, though she downplayed talk about being a possible nominee.

“It’s no secret at all that I’m counted among the LGBT crowd,” she wrote, using a common acronym for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. As for the possibility she’d be nominated, Karlan said, “Given the landscape, I’m flattered, but not fooled, by having my name tossed around.”

Unrelatedly, a rave for Karlan as “(1) brilliant, (2) broadly knowledgeable — Cass Sunstein aside, I can’t think of anyone who knows so much about so many different legal fields — and (3) a spectacularly gifted writer” from a right-leaning Harvard Law professor, William Stuntz.

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Another possible first: An OPenly LGBT Supreme Court Justice?

Among the people whose names are being floated for the Supreme Court is Stanford Law Dean Kathleen Sullivan, a top constitutional scholar who has been active in gay rights battles in the Supreme Court, and who as the blog of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund writes, would be the first openly gay person on the court.

The group Lambda Legal wrote Obama in January pressing the appointement of “‘out’ LGBT judges.”

Human Rights Campaign emails over a statement from its legal director, Lara Schwartz, that the group “looks forward to seeing more openly-LGBT people appointed to the federal courts and other positions” but that “what’s most important is a nominee must have a track record that demonstrates her or his ability to consider and decide cases fairly.”

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LGBT groups brace for tough economic times

Nearly three dozen major LGBT groups, including HRC, The Victory Fund, National Black Justice Coalition and the National Center for Transgender Equality, have begun a dialogue on ways to cope with declining financial support because of the struggling economy. Cost-saving options range from teaming up for health care, computer services and other administrative expenses to even combining groups with similar missions. Advocate.com

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Hochberg expected to become first out chair of Export-Import Bank

Fred Hochberg, the out former head of the Small Business Administration, reportedly will be named by the White House as the first openly gay chair of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. “Fred Hochberg’s talent and business acumen will serve U.S. companies well. But he will also set an important example as an openly gay person in a top leadership position in the business community,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund. Washington Blade

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Out former DNC official said to get White House job

Brian Bond, who has held several positions with the Democratic National Committee and led the Victory Fund for six years, reportedly has been tapped to become deputy director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. The openly gay Bond will advocate presidential policies to various constituency groups, with a special emphasis on LGBT concerns, according to this article. Advocate.com

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Obama Passes On Gay Cabinet Member

With the appointment of California Representative Hilda Solis (Democrat) to the position of Labor Secretary, the aspirations of gay rights leaders for a cabinet-level appointment have most likely evaporated.

Openly lesbian Mary Beth Maxwell had been considered a strong contender for the position. Maxwell is the founding executive director of American Rights at Work, and had helped line up support for the pro-union Employee Free Choice Act.

It was just last week that members of President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team met with dozens of gay and lesbian activists fueling speculation that a cabinet-level appointment might be in the offing.

But no openly gay, bisexual or transgender person has ever served in one of the fifteen cabinet secretary positions that report directly to the president.

In that meeting, Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, made it clear to the Obama transition team that he felt the political aspirations of the gay community had not yet been fully realized: “We have paid our political dues, but still have not benefited greatly from that.”

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Obama’s Cabinet apparently won’t have LGBT representation

Out LGBT candidates have been shut out of President-elect Barack Obama’s Cabinet, with the final spot of labor secretary reportedly being offered to U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif. Mary Beth Maxwell, the out founding executive director for American Rights at Work, was said to be among the contenders for the labor post. “As we talk about either keeping or renewing America’s promise, which the president-elect has been talking about, apparently it does not yet extend to gay and lesbian people in the Cabinet of the president,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of The Victory Fund. Washington Blade