Marco Rubio Takes Down Gay, Black Nominee

[Tx4obama]

White House Gives Up On William Thomas, Gay Black Judicial Nominee Blocked By Marco Rubio

WASHINGTON -- The White House has thrown in the towel in trying to confirm William Thomas to a federal court seat in Florida, signaling an end to a puzzling case of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) blocking his own judicial nominee.

In a pile of about 200 judicial nominees President Barack Obama resubmitted to the Senate at the start of the year, Thomas was noticeably absent. An administration official confirmed Tuesday that his resubmission isn't coming.

"The nomination of Judge William Thomas was returned by the Senate and Senator Rubio has made his objection clear, so the President chose not to renominate him," the official told The Huffington Post.

Thomas would have made history, if confirmed, as the first openly gay black man to serve as a federal judge.

Rubio has been single-handedly blocking Thomas for months, despite recommending him to Obama in 2012 as a nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Rubio indicated in September he would not submit his "blue slip" to the Senate Judiciary Committee -- a courtesy, but not a hard rule, honored in the committee that allows a home-state senator to advance or hold up a nominee. Florida's other senator, Bill Nelson (D), submitted his blue slip months ago.

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Full article with more details here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/07/marco-rubio-judicial-nominee_n_4557185.html

And a related thread regarding the renominated judicial nominees here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251346688