Governor Cuomo, who has appointed every member of the New York Court of Appeals, has named Paul Feinman to New York State’s highest court. Judge Feinman, who is openly gay, is the first LGBT+ appointee to the court.
Judge Feinman fills the seat left by the death of Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam in April.
The Senate Judiciary Committee were unanimous in their approval of the judge, and no mention was made on the Senate floor of the judge’s sexual orientation. But one Democratic senator did note that a white man would be filling a space on the court previously occupied by a Black woman, to which Judge Feinman responded, hinting at his sexuality, “Certainly my entire career has been about promoting equal access and equal justice for all, and I hope I add to the diversity of perspectives that the court considers.”