Yesterday Florida Senator Marco Rubio announced his intention to nix the nomination of openly gay judge William Thomas to the federal judiciary, citing questions about the judges"judicial temperament."
Rubio's flack, Brooke Sammon, told the Daily Business Review Thursday Rubio has "questions about his judicial temperament and his willingness to impose appropriate criminal sentences." Rubio cited a specific instance that "raised serious concerns about his fitness for a lifetime federal appointment."
In January, Judge Thomas openly wept as he sentenced convicted murderer Joel Lebron to death, detailing the horrific kidnapping, gang rape and murder of 18-year-old Ana Maria Angel in 2002. Thomas described how Lebron held a pistol to her head and pulled the trigger three times before the gun fired. "With each pull of the trigger, Ana Maria must have labored under the constant fear that her death was imminent," Judge Thomas said. Miami Herald courts reporter David Ovalle was present during the sentencing, and reported emotions filled the court room, not just the judge, and his actions did not seem inappropriate at all.
In addition to the Lebron case, Rubio's office raised questions about the handling of the
Michele Traverso sentencing, whom killed a bicyclist in a hit-and-run accident on the Rickenbacker Causeway that provoked considerable outrage among the cycling community.
Miami-Dade and Broward Police Benevolent Associations are among the many organizations to have sent letters to the Rubio office praising Judge Thomas, painting the picture of a caring man who is one of the hardest-working, most competent judges in the Miami-Dade criminal court division. It seems however, that there may be more to this, judging by Rubio's past.
In late 2012 when asked if he considered homosexuality a sin, Rubio responded "I can tell you what faith teaches, and faith teaches that it is. And that's what the Bible teaches ... but it also teaches that there are a bunch of other sins that are no less. It teaches that lying is a sin, it teaches that disrespecting your parents is a sin, it teaches that stealing is a sin, it teaches that coveting your neighbor and what your neighbor has is a sin," Rubio said. "So, there isn't a person in this room that isn't guilty of sin. I don't go around pointing fingers in that regard."
Back in March Rubio, speaking at the CPAC, said "I respect people who disagree with me on certain things, but that means they have to respect me too. Just because I believe states should have the right to define marriage in a traditional way does not make me a bigot." When in actuality the precise definition of a bigot is "a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance".
So yeah, Marco, believing it is a sin for homosexuals to get married, by definition, kinda is bigotry.
So the question must be asked, is it a coincidence Marco Rubio has nixed the nomination of judge William Thomas, whom is openly gay, or does this have more to do with Rubio's personal beliefs as to how one should live their life?
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