Feldblum
Wow. Just in from the mailbag:
President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals today:
Chai R. Feldblum, Nominee for Commissioner, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Chai Feldblum is a Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center where she has taught since 1991. She also founded the Law Center’s Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic, a program designed to train students to become legislative lawyers. Feldblum previously served as Legislative Counsel to the AIDS Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. In this role, she developed legislation, analyzed policy on various AIDS-related issues, and played a leading role in the drafting of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and, later as a law professor, in the passage of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. She has also worked on advancing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and has been a leading expert on the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. As Co-Director of Workplace Flexibility 2010, Feldblum has worked to advance flexible workplaces in a manner that works for employees and employers. Feldblum clerked for Judge Frank Coffin and for Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and B.A. from Barnard College.
This is astounding, fantastic news. Chai — a Georgetown Law Professor (bio) — has been at the forefront of the struggle for LGBT and disabilities equality issues and fighting HIV/AIDS discrimination for as long as I’ve been around. She’s openly lesbian and one of the most respected voices on nondiscrimination legislation in D.C. Moments like these are why we fought to get Obama elected.
Feldblum would be one of five commissioners at the EEOC, and the term is for five years.
This certainly will lead to some heavy debate in the Senate because of the role Feldblum has played over the past years.
To see what I mean, here’s just a small sampling of her recent work:
- Moral Conflict and Liberty: Gay Rights and Religion, 72 Brook. L. Rev. 61-123 (2006).
- The Right to Define One’s Own Concept of Existence: What Lawrence Can Mean for Intersex and Transgender People, 7 Geo. J. Gender & L. 115-139 (2006).
- Gay is Good: The Moral Case for Marriage Equality and More, 17 Yale J.L. & Feminism 139-184 (2005).
- The Definition of Disability in the Americans With Disabilities Act: Its Successes and Shortcomings, 9 Emp. Rts. & Emp. Pol’y J. 473-498 (2005) (co-authored piece).
Feldblum also has appeared before Congress quite often and has participated in Supreme Court (and other) litigation on EEOC-related issues. There’s going to be a lot to look into and talk about before the Senate is done with her. Don’t be surprised if some Right-wing group decides to take on this nomination.
Popularity: 58% [?]
Chris Geidner is the award-winning senior political & legal reporter at BuzzFeed and has written for Metro Weekly, The Atlantic Online, The American Prospect, Advocate.com, Salon and other publications, as well as at his blog, Law Dork. He has appeared regularly on television commenting on current affairs, including MSNBC, PBS, HLN & Current. Prior to moving to D.C. in 2009, he served as an attorney on the senior staff at the Ohio Attorney General's Office and had earlier worked for a leading Columbus law firm. An extended biography can be found
great choice
Fantastic
Wonderful choice
Anyone remember Lani Guinier? Or even Bill Lann Lee? This is going to get ugly.
Here’s one story I figure will be used to get the wingnuts stirred up for action: “Clarence Thomas was EEOC Chairman before he was appointed to the D.C. Circuit and then the Supreme Court, so this appointment is a way to put Feldman in the S. Ct. pipeline. We have to stop her now, or in a few years when she’s appointed to replace Justice Kennedy, the liberals will say, ‘She’s already been confirmed once, so what’s the objection?’”
Great appointment. Frankly, I think she’s overqualified for this post and really should be on the short list for higher things.
But prepare yourself for some serious nastiness.
This is a sick choice
Too bad. Like we need another homosexual pushing their own agenda down everyone’s throat. Gay people have gone too far and the tide is turning against them – Think “liberal” California voting AGAINST gay “marriage.”
I read your paper. are you sure your a scholar? Your rational is rather dumb. Is that all you can rationalize about twisted sex being o.k.? Twisted minds, twisted lives. I hope your getting counseling like most perverted individuals do and should. Sick sick sick
Who needs argumentation when you have adjectives?
Feldblum’s commitment to people with disabilities and to people discriminated against because of their real or perceived orientation is sorely needed at the EEOC.
I’ve known her work for almost 20 years and I can’t imagine a better choice.
Obama promotes and supports homosexuality and lesbianism, claiming such practices and orientations are morally equivalent to heterosexuality. Obama also professes that he is a Christian. Thus, he claims to be a follower of Christ. Jesus said “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18 [NKJV]). The “Law”, to the Jews, meant the Torah, the first five books of what Christians call the “Old Testament”. Those first five books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In Leviticus 18:22 (NKJV), God says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.” So, either God is wrong or lying about homosexuality, or Obama is wrong or lying about homosexuality and/or his being a Christian. For my part, I would trust God’s judgment and honesty before I would Obama’s.
Douglas,
I feel sad for your wife if you still “put [her] apart for her uncleanness” (i.e. monthly bleeding) — Leviticus 18:19.
“Don’t be surprised if some Right-wing group decides to take on this nomination.”
Worthy of opposition by the center and the right. We don’t need more people like this in our government.
does it really matter at this point? this is another person set to destroy this great country. As for the gays and lesbians, please go to Europe. You will never be mainstream or a part of this country. Complete freaks. So sad that the USA is done… just disgusting, amoral people at the helm… its a matter of time before God does something about this mess we created…Shame on us for putting Obama and his freak show in office..