Chai Feldblum Confirmed to EEOC

Lesbian lawyer and longtime activist Chai Feldblum was confirmed as a commissioner of the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in a Senate vote Wednesday, the Federal Timesreports.

Feldblum, who has been the target of much criticism by conservatives, had been serving under a recess appointment by President Obama since April, along with another commissioner, the commission’s chair, and its general counsel, who also were confirmed Wednesday in one of the Senate’s last actions before the holiday break.

At the time of her recess appointment, the right-wing Traditional Values Coalition characterized Feldblum as “radical” because of, among other things, her authorship of the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act and her objection to the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing the Boy Scouts of America to exclude gays. The group called ENDA “draconian” and said Feldblum would “ruthlessly enforce” it — even though it has yet to be passed into law.

Feldblum was a professor at Georgetown University’s Law Center from 1991 until her EEOC appointment, and before that she worked for the American Civil Liberties Union. She helped draft the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and amendments to it in 2008.

Her EEOC term runs until July 1, 2013. Others confirmed were commissioner Victoria A. Lipnic, commission chair Jacqueline A. Berrien, and general counsel P. David Lopez.

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