Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group, praised President Obama today for nominating Laura E. Duffy, an out lesbian, for U.S. Attorney for San Diego.

If confirmed by the Senate, Duffy would be the second openly gay person to serve as a U.S. attorney, DC Agenda reported last week. The Senate confirmed Jenny Durkan last year as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.

San Diego’s District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis made national headlines in 2002 when she became the first openly gay district attorney elected in the United States. Her sexuality hasn’t been much of an issue.

Duffy, who has earned high marks for her prosecution of the Arellano-Felix drug cartel, would have been  disqualified during the Bush administration. The DOJ’s Inspector General found that two former aides to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had used sexual orientation as a litmus test in personnel decisions.