Michael Fitzgerald, an out gay California lawyer, received overwhelming approval today from the U.S. Senate, with a 91-6 vote, for his nomination to serve as a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California — making him the fourth out LGBT federal, lifetime-tenured judge in the nation.
Fitzgerald’s confirmation will make him the first out LGBT Article III judge serving outside of New York City. Article III judges — referencing the judicial powers detailed in the Constitution — are nominated by the president, given consent by the Senate to serve and have lifetime tenure.
The arc of history…