Obama taps Muslim-American judge for federal bench

<p>During his historic trip to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/president-obama-pledges-90m-to-clear-bombs-in-laos/" target="_blank">Laos</a>, President Obama made another &quot;first&quot; back in the U.S.</p><p>He nominated Abid Riaz Qureshi to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Qureshi is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.muslimadvocates.org/muslim-advocates-heralds-president-obamas-historic-judicial-nomination-2/" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;the first American Muslim to be nominated to serve as a federal judge.</p><p><b>SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/trump-stands-by-comments-adding-muslim-judge-could-be-biased/">Trump Stands By Comments, Adding Muslim Judge Could Be Biased</a></b></p><p>Qureshi is currently a partner at a D.C. law firm. According to its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lw.com/people/abid-qureshi" target="_blank">website</a>, Qureshi is the global chairman of the firm&#39;s Pro Bono Committee. He specializes in securities violations, False Claims Act liability and health care fraud. He is also a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association&#39;s Legal Ethics Committee.</p><p>He received his law degree from Harvard Law School and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University.</p><p><b>SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/judge-allowed-an-inmate-to-meet-his-baby-for-the-first-time/">This Judge's Compassion Is Catching Everyone's Attention</a></b></p><p>However, it&#39;s unlikely Qureshi will be confirmed before the end of Obama&#39;s term.</p><p>The Senate Judiciary Committee hasn&#39;t held a nomination hearing for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. Obama nominated Garland in March. After that, Republicans on the committee sent a letter to the Senate majority leader saying they wouldn&#39;t hold a hearing for any Supreme Court nominee until the next president is sworn in. And political-watchers don&#39;t think it will be any different for a federal judge.</p><hr><b>Trending stories at <a href="http://www.newsy.com">Newsy.com</a></b><ul class="inline-related-links"><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/bill-cosby-trial-date-set-lawyers-at-odds-with-allred/">Bill Cosby&#039;s Lawyers Are Fighting An Attorney Who&#039;s Not On The Case</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/danny-heinrich-admits-to-killing-murder-of-jacob-wetterling/">Danny Heinrich Admits To Kidnapping And Murder Of Jacob Wetterling</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/itt-tech-shuts-its-doors-tens-of-thousands-affected/">Major For-Profit College Shuts Its Doors</a></li></ul>