President Biden’s third slate of judicial nominations likely counts as historic because all six are minorities.
The president on Wednesday announced his intent to nominate three Court of Appeals and three District Court justices.
The president has now put forward 20 names for federal judicial vacancies, with at least half of the nominees being people of color and women.
“These individuals embody President Biden’s commitment to ensure that his judicial nominees represent not only the excellence but the diversity of our nation with respect to both personal and professional backgrounds,” the White House said in a fact sheet.
Gustavo A Gelpí Jr., Eunice C. Lee and Veronica S. Rossman were nominated respectively for the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
Angel Kelley, Lauren J. King and Karen M. Williams were tapped respectively for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, and the United States Court for the District of New Jersey.
Judge Gelpí counts as just the second judge of Hispanic origin to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the second judge from Puerto Rico ever to sit on the First Circuit.
Judge Lee is the second African American woman ever to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and would be the only judge with experience as a federal defender serving on that circuit.
Judge Rossman is an immigrant who came to the United States as a small child and would be the only judge with experience as a federal defender serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Judge Kelley is the third active Native American federal judge currently serving in the United States and the first Native American federal judge in Washington state history.
Judge King is the first African American district court judge to sit in the Camden courthouse of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Judge Williams is the second African American woman judge and the second Asian American judge to serve on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
“President Biden has spent decades committed to strengthening the federal bench, which is why he continues to move at a historically fast pace with respect to judicial nominations,” the White House said. “His first announcement of candidates for the judiciary was made faster than any that of any new president in modern American history, and today’s announcement further continues that trend.”