Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman who is the 40th governor of California, serving since January 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.
Peter E. Borkon took his oath of office Thursday afternoon, becoming the newest out judge on the Alameda County Superior Court.With the swearing in of Borkon, a gay man, the East Bay county now has 10 LGBTQ people serving on the bench, the largest of any in Northern California.Presiding Judge Charles Smiley administered the oath of office after Borkon's husband, Kristofer Konietzko, enrobed him in the plain black garment that is required.
It is "unadorned," Smiley explained, because it signifies exercising judicial authority and should be somber.Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Borkon, an attorney, December 1.
He is the second out man the governor has named to the Alameda bench; he appointed former law clerk Keith Fong last year. Newsom in 2021 also named his former chief deputy legal affairs secretary, Kelli M.
Evans, to the Alameda bench. A queer Black woman, Evans took her judicial oath last October.During his brief remarks, Borkon, 50, thanked Newsom, judicial appointments secretary Luis Céspedes, his husband, family, friends, colleagues, and mentors.