Gavin Newsom California Governor Gavin Newsom, Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

State legislative leaders urged Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday to "make history" by nominating the first openly LGBTQ justice to the California Supreme Court.

"We encourage you to seize the historic opportunity presented with the retirement of Associate Justice Ming W. Chin," Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and Assemblyman Todd Gloria, D-San Diego, wrote in a letter to Newsom on behalf of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.

"California has many highly qualified LGBTQ candidates, including appellate justices, trial judges, legal scholars, and attorneys," the lawmakers continued. "Nominating an LGBTQ justice would send a powerful message of California's leadership and values, and it would highlight the success California has achieved in making the state's judiciary better reflect its rich diversity. The time has come for an openly LGBTQ justice to sit on our state's highest court."

Chin, who announced his retirement in January, won't leave the high court until its current term ends in August. But that hasn't dissuaded some early politicking for what will be Newsom's first nomination. The legislative Latino Caucus has already urged the governor "to explore diverse candidates, including a possible Latino or Latina."

A Newsom spokeswoman called the selection process "very much active and ongoing at this time."

"The governor is committed to finding and vetting candidates who reflect the rich diversity of life and legal experience that is unique to California, and that will best serve the people of our state," Newsom press secretary Vicky Waters said in an email.

The letter does not recommend any candidates. California's appellate courts include four openly gay justices. Justices Therese Stewart and Jim Humes serve on the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco while Justice Marsha Slough was confirmed to the Fourth District appellate court in Riverside in 2016 and Justice Luis Lavin joined the Second District in 2015.

Sixty-two judges and justices throughout the California bench identified themselves as LGBT, according to demographic statistics for 2018, the latest year available.

"Throughout his career, Governor Newsom has elevated LGBTQ+ leaders to ensure our government reflects the diversity of the people it serves," Equality California executive director Rick Zbur said in a prepared statement. "We now have an historic opportunity to put a qualified openly LGBTQ+ justice on California's highest court and ensure LGBTQ+ people are represented in every level of our justice system."

 

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