Remember this post about Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback’s decision to block Janet Neff’s nomination to a federal district judgeship because she attended a commitment ceremony for a lesbian couple?

Brownback now says that he will “lift his hold on [Neff] if she agrees to step aside from any case dealing with same-sex unions.” He is “concerned [her attendance at the commitment ceremony] colors her legal view on the constitutionality of allowing same-sex marriages.”

John Whiteside’s view on this “logic” is dead-on:

What’s next? Someone who has too many black friends can’t rule fairly on an affirmative action case? If you’re not a Christian, you can’t possible rule fairly in a case on separation of church and state? Perhaps no female judges should be allowed to rule on any sex discrimination cases.

You can find Maria on MySpace here and read her current call for essays on femme identity here. Pick up Queer Shorts, her new anthology, at MergePress.com.