Jenny Durkan, an out lesbian, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to become the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.  Durkan has her own law practice in Seattle and has served as counsel to Washington Gov. Christine Gregoir, according to The Columbian newspaper, which reported:

Durkan is a lesbian who lives in Seattle with her partner and two sons. It was not immediately known whether she would be the first openly gay U.S. attorney; the Justice Department said it does not keep track.

A graduate of Notre Dame and the University of Washington Law School, and the daughter of late state Sen. Martin Durkan, Durkan first represented Gregoire in her campaign for attorney general in 1992. She continued to provide counsel off and on through Gregoire’s election in the razor-thin 2004 governor’s race, which Gregoire won after two recounts and a court case. She also was counsel to Gregoire’s reelection campaign last year.