NJ Gov. Christie
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has tapped Bruce Harris, the black, gay and Republican mayor of Chatham, NJ for a slot on the state's highest court,
MetroWeekly and the New York's
Gay City News are both reporting. Just elected, Harris was trumpeted in November by
The Victory Fund as likely the nation's first openly gay, black Republican mayor.
New Jersey's Star-Ledger reports:
Harris graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College, and with honors from Boston University Graduate School of Management. He earned a law degree from Yale. In addition to serving as mayor of Chatham, he most recently worked at the law firm of Greenberg Traurig and previously at Riker, Danzi, Scherer, Hyland and Perretti.
The Star-Ledger also reports another nomimee, Phil Kwon, who served with Christie at the US Attorney's office would be the first Asian-American to sit on the state Supreme Court.
On confirmation prospects, State Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is quoted as saying:
“We are not going to move hastily,” said Scutari, adding that having the two nominees seated by March 1, as Christie suggested, is unlikely.
Scutari said he was pleased by the diversity of the governor’s appointments, but had yet to examine their professional careers to determine their qualifications for the bench.
It's perhaps smart politics for the governor to use diversity to help lubricate the confirmation process, which in the past has been slow and contentious to Christie.
Is Christie blind or apathetic to any possible repercussions this move may deliver to his national profile in the Republican party? Or is he perhaps truly not interested in higher office?
The presse statement released from Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality, isn't exactly music to tea bagger's ears, coming from "radical activists homosexuals":
A few minutes ago, just before announcing his two new Supreme Court nominees, Governor Christie called me on my cell phone to tell me he is nominating Bruce Harris to the New Jersey Supreme Court. Bruce will become the first openly LGBT person in history, and the third African-American person in history, to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court. Most importantly, Bruce is eminently qualified to be a Supreme Court justice.
As I told the Governor right then and there, you could have picked me up off the floor.
When I met with Governor Christie in 2010 at his request, he told me that though we would differ on some issues like marriage equality, he viewed the LGBT community as an important part of New Jersey, and that he wanted his Administration to have a good working relationship with Garden State Equality. That has been the case every step of the way. Since Governor Christie took office, his Administration has treated us with warmth and responsiveness. Yes is yes, no is no, and we’ll get back to you means they get back to you faster than you thought, usually with invaluable help. To be clear, the Governor and his staff were invaluable in helping us pass the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, the nation’s strongest anti-bullying law that the governor signed in January 2011.
No one’s asked me to say any of this – I am simply giving credit where credit is due, too rare in political life.
Now, as for the marriage equality bill: The Governor and I didn’t discuss that in our phone conversation. I recognize, and caution everyone, that it would be unwise to read any change here in the Governor’s position on marriage equality; he has said in past months and years that he would veto the bill, and we take him at his word. We will fight hard every minute of every day to win marriage equality in New Jersey. Nothing will deter us.
But again, right now, that doesn’t mean we should not give credit where credit is due. Today, the Governor has made civil rights history, and on behalf of all of us at Garden State Equality, I extend to him our most profound appreciation.
Lambda Legal currently is challenging the state in lower courts to recognize marriage equality. It is not likely to come to the highest court for a long time.
Simultaneously, Democrats have launched a initiative to pursue it legislatively, calling it a "top priority." Should it pass, Gov. Christie's veto is all but assured. The prospects for override appear uncertain.