By Chris Hoenig
William Thomas’ nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida was one of more than 150 nominations held up by Congress last year. After the Senate invoked the so-called “nuclear option” that allowed it to approve these judicial nominations by simple majority vote, Thomaswho would have been the first openly gay Black federal judge in the countrywas left to watch as his name suddenly disappeared from the list.
It turns out that one manwho initially supported Thomas’ nominationis responsible.