Obama nominates first Muslim for federal judge post

NEW YORK

President Barack Obama has appointed the country's first Muslim-American federal judge.

Abid Riaz Qureshi was nominated late Tuesday to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

“I am confident he will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice,” Obama said in a statement.

Qureshi works at the Latham & Watkins LLP law firm and specializes in cases involving the False Claims Act, health care fraud and securities violations. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1997.

He has also served on the District of Columbia Bar Association’s Legal Ethics Committee since 2015.

Qureshi’s nomination requires congressional confirmation.