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Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Monday recommeded the nomination of the Minneapolis Police Department’s assistant chief, Sharon Lubinski, for the post of U.S. Marshal for Minnesota. Lubinski is openly lesbian and has served in law enforcement for more than 30 years.
Lubinski is one of the highest ranking LGBT members of law enforcement in the country and would be one of the first — if not the first — openly gay U.S. Marshal. The U.S. Marshals Service is charged with protecting the 94 United States District Courts. Lubinski would be in charge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.
Sharon Lubinski’s mix of experience managing a large, urban police department and working in a more rural sheriff’s office sets her apart and makes her uniquely qualified to serve in this new role. During my eight years as Hennepin County Attorney, I had the opportunity to work with Sharon on an almost daily basis. I observed firsthand the strength of her leadership abilities and the respect she commands from people at every level of law enforcement and in the larger community.
If President Obama takes Klobuchar’s recommendation (and with one Minnesota senator, it’s the highest recommendation he’s likely to see), Lubinski would be among the more than 35 appointments and nominations of LGBT people that Obama has made this year.
Lubinski would also be the second female U.S. Marshal currently serving in that capacity and would be the 13th female Marshal in U.S. history.
If the president nominates Lubinski, she would go to the U.S. Senate for confirmation.
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11 Comments »
Comment posted June 16, 2009 @ 7:53 am
Just a quibble with your headline – Though I’m not 100% sure, I would be surprised if MN hasn’t had gay US Marshals before, so maybe you should say “openly gay”.
Comment posted June 16, 2009 @ 10:58 am
another quibble….what was her role in the RNC protests? During the RNC, it was said that a lot of the more brutal officers were from Minneapolis, out-state, or out-of-state.
Comment posted June 16, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
How proud we should be!
Minnesota has first Muslim Senator sworn in on Koran – and now possibly the first homosexual U. S. Marshall. My we have an honorable contribution to our post Christian nation!
This is liberalism’s finest hour and Minnesota leads the pack…
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (from the Bible for those who don’t recognize it). It’s not a polititian issue; it’s a voter (and their pastor) issue.
Comment posted June 16, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
Congrats, Sharon! This is terrific for you and for Minnesota.
Comment posted June 16, 2009 @ 4:08 pm
Why does gay matter and does it do good or bad to the GLBT community. Just like the first hispanic! the first african american! we should be done with firsts and focus on supporting our minority communities by providing opportunities and leadership. If I ever achieve higher office I don’t want to be labeled first American Indian/Hispanic Women, I want to called the best candidate and everyone can see that I am of color and a women!
Comment posted June 16, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
Why the hell are they stealing the GOOD cops away from us in Minneapolis?
We need ‘em here!
Take the bad ones — we have plenty of them to spare.
Comment posted June 17, 2009 @ 2:18 am
Here we go with political interference in picking what should be A CAREER POSITION with the Marshals Service. She’s gay. WHO CARES. But that is exactly why she was picked. Obama PROMISED to give priority consideration to CAREER MARSHALS SERVICE EMPLOYEES for these jobs, and its a fact some applied for the job. Way to go Obama, you are doing just what we all thought you’d do.
Comment posted June 17, 2009 @ 4:02 am
I know that Sen. Klobuchar and Sharon Lubinski worked closely together when Klobuchar was Hennepin County Attorney. Her reccomendation of appointment of a highly qualified individual she previously worked with to a high government post who happens to be a lesbian is not bad but it doesn’t in anyway make up for her lack of visible support for the majority of glbt and HIV/AIDS legislation she could be cosponsoring or otherwise supporting in the Senate that would enhance and improve the rights and health of many many Minnesotans and Americans.
Like Obama’s expansion of DP benefits to Fed Employees excluding health care, it’s not enough.
Expectations of BOTH SEN. KLOBUCHAR and OBAMA are higher!
Comment posted June 18, 2009 @ 12:30 pm
To the previous Deputy who posted on here: I’d like to see where you get the idea that POTUS promised anything in regards to US Marshal appointments? Is this in writing somewhere? Is it online in a speech or something? I think not. You must not have a lot of experience in government service because it doesn’t matter who’s in the White House. George Bush Jr. picked one Marshal in the south who was a limo driver for some local politician!! They will pick who they want because it’s the process. I will agree that US Marshals shouldn’t be a political pick, but it’s been that way since our first POTUS, and there are no signs it’s going to change any time soon. Quit your crying and get back to work!
Comment posted June 19, 2009 @ 9:43 am
Been around a long time and have seen nothing that professionalizes the post of the Marshal get passed. FLEOA I know pushs for it, but deputy you say POTUS promised? Where did that happen? These are plum jobs to hand out and I don’t see the Senators losing their ability to do that. Before we get a career appointed marshal I’d like to see a Director with the same job duration as the FBI. Changing directors every 4 years is stupid and causes more problem than losing a marshal ever 4. I hope this lady understands what she’s getting herself into. This ain’t local law enforcement, but it is a whole lot closer to it than the other federal agencies.
Comment posted June 20, 2009 @ 10:18 am
“Another Deputy Marshal”: 24 years on the job. I will call it like I see it every time whether you kids like it or not. I’ve seen the drunken fools, the pig farmers, every conceivable type of Marshal appointed. This time around FLEOA made some in-roads, or so they thought. Check with our FLEOA Natl President OR our FLEOA Agency rep and find out what meetings have been held and what promises have been made.
AND, NO I WON’T GET BACK TO WORK I’M ON VACATION. Hey, isn’t that YOUR court bell ringing?
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