BY JAY WEAVER & STEVE ROTHAUS, jweaver@MiamiHerald.com
William L. Thomas was nominated Wednesday as a federal judge in South Florida.
President Barack Obama nominated Thomas, a Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge since 2005, for a vacant post on the federal bench. If confirmed, Thomas would become the first out gay black man appointed to a federal judgeship.
“We’re delighted in the president’s appointment of Judge Thomas, who we recommend as a patient and hard-working man of incredible character,” said Chuck Wolfe, CEO and president of the Washington-based Victory Fund & Institute. The group’s mission is to support openly gay candidates and appointees. “We believe he’s made an excellent jurist in Florida and will make an excellent federal jurist.”
Thomas would fill the opening of U.S. District Judge Adalberto Jordan, who was confirmed as a federal appeals court judge earlier this year.
Thomas served as an assistant federal public defender in South Florida from 1997 to 2005. He began his legal career in 1994 as an assistant state public defender in Miami-Dade.
Thomas received his J.D. from Temple University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Washington and Jefferson College.
Elections have consequences. We can now expect Obama will only nominate deviants from here on in.
Posted by: Greg | November 14, 2012 at 08:03 PM
Congratulations Judge Thomas!
Our judiciary is always better for reflecting the diversity of the people it serves.
Jessica Horani
Posted by: Jessica Horani | November 14, 2012 at 08:14 PM
I am devastated, I didn't know he was gay. Boy is this a surprise. Wow, I didn't know that.
Posted by: Thetittyman | November 14, 2012 at 08:59 PM
A person's sexual orientation doesn't have any bearing on their ability to perform a job. If you are that devastated by this.. then he either wasnt really a friend to begin with or you are just wanting to play a drama card.
Posted by: Harry | November 14, 2012 at 09:08 PM
Who cares what a person's orientation is. The man is a tough and fair judge.
Posted by: keno | November 14, 2012 at 09:22 PM
It is about time that Miami-Dade join this planet called "Mother Earth."
Congratulations Judge Thomas! I know you will deliver FIERCE JUSTICE!!!
Two snaps!
Posted by: Proud & Smart Miami Gay Man | November 14, 2012 at 09:23 PM
Congratulation Judge Thomas! Having practiced before him, I can honestly say that Judge Thomas is a very fair person who is very dedicated to his profession. He works very hard and often stays on the bench into the night. He is going to be a great asset to our federal judiciary. Although I do not agree with the President on most issues, I do believe that he made a very good choice in nominating Judge Thomas.
Posted by: Israel Jose Encinosa | November 15, 2012 at 01:13 AM
Jusge Thomas is a fantastic judge, period. Those of us who practice before him know he is brilliant, efficient, and tough. He is a man of the highest integrity. Great choice, and that would be true whether he is gay, straight, or otherwise.
Posted by: Todd Michaels | November 15, 2012 at 05:44 AM
Best news all year. What a great man. COURAGE is his middle name. Not afraid of making tough decisions. Irrespective of his sexual orientation which is irrelevant, im sure his life experiences have shaped his perspective and judgement, thats true of anyone. The man has the heart of a lion. I am so happy his God bless him. Great great day. Closest thing to judge Pinero that 1351 has seen in my time at least. He will go down in history as one of the great ones. Congratulations
Posted by: Arnold Trevilla | November 15, 2012 at 06:25 AM
Congratulations Judge ,you will do very well on the Federal bench.You have earned that seat.
Posted by: Abe A Bailey | November 15, 2012 at 06:31 AM
It is good for society that OUT GAYS are working in the system and being honest about their lives. Having a judiciary of closet homosexuals is bad for everyone, especially since the closet cases are dishonest about a core part of their lives. Can a dishonest person be an honest judge? I don't think so.
At least half of the Miami Judges are gays or lesbians. Any time I have been to court, the women judges usually look like truck drivers, and the men judges have that "look" of gay contempt. Take a look at Judge Thomas, you can see it in his face (in the photo). Gays spend too much time being GAY. Try just being HUMAN.
BTW, The Miami Herald must hate gays. Instead of hiring some nice looking gay guy to promote homosexuality, they have this Rothaus guy who looks like fat Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy. We need cuter gay writers.
Posted by: sammy the hairdresser | November 15, 2012 at 09:04 AM
What in the HELL does someone's Sexual Orientation have to do with how they BRAIN WORKS! This man is BRILLIANT!
He has worked hard to get where he is.
What is interesting is that all of the media outlets covering this story the MIAMI HERALD IS THE ONLY ONE THAT SAID HE IS GAY!
Wow! Really? Does he have black friends too; or maybe some that speak spanish. It is time to stop keeping count of the color of people's skin and who they choose to date. What matters in the content of their character and the intelligence in their brain.
Dawnna St Louis
www.Dawnna.com
Posted by: Dawnna St Louis | November 15, 2012 at 02:06 PM
Congratulations Judge Thomas! I will hate to see you leave the building, but I know the Federal system will be better because of you, and this is something you really wanted. You are hands down one of the hardest working Judges in any Courthouse!
Posted by: Arthur McNeil | November 15, 2012 at 05:52 PM
Regardless of his sexual preference, Judge Thomas is and will remain being a fair, tough judge much needed in our judicial system. I hope that one day in our racist and divisive country, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc. will no longer be a factor in deciding who is the best qualified human being to lead us into the 21st century.
Posted by: Gus | November 15, 2012 at 09:00 PM
REGARDLESS OF HIS SEXUAL PREFERENCE, JUDGE THOMAS IS WAITING HIS POSITION FOR REASONS THAT HE RULES IN A MANNER THAT CONFLICTS WITH OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. HE RULES FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF HIMSELF AND BY OPINIONS THAT ARE NOT LEGALLY BOUND BY THE LAW OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
JUDGE WILLIAM THOMAS DOES NOT ABIDE BY THE FLORIDA STATE LAWS AND IGNORES OUR CONSTITUTION WHEN RULING.
IN MY CASE HE CREATED HIS OWN DECISION WITHOUT MERIT OR REASON AND RULED IN FAVOR OF MY OPPONENT WHOM HAPPENS TO BE THE LARGEST FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTOR TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY-DOCUMENTED LARGEST FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTOR-
RUBIO WILL BE NOTIFIED AND GIVEN THE FACTS AND THE SUPREME COURT RULING THAT THIS JUDGE KEPT OUT OF THE COURT ROOM AND OUT OF EVIDENCE.
IM TIRED ABOUT HEARING BLACK/WHITE/GAY/GREEN OR ASEXUAL. WHO CARES! WE ARE PEOPLE. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE. JUDGE WILLIAM THOMAS WILL CONTINUE TO WAIT AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT HE HAS DONE AND WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES. THAT IS A FACT.
Posted by: ROBIN ZIEL | July 21, 2013 at 04:31 PM
Judge Thomas is not qualified as federal judge material. He has little understating of rules of court, the constitution or statutes. My opinion has nothing to do with his sexual or religious preferences or the color of his skin but instead his qualifications.
Posted by: Bob | July 21, 2013 at 05:07 PM