Judge Vaughn Walker Says He is Gay for First Time Publicly!

Judge Vaughn Walker, who struck down California's ban on same-sex marriage, spoke to reporters today and came out publicly for the first time.

Reuters: The talk to a handful of reporters was Walker's first public comments to reporters about presiding over the lawsuit challenging to Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California. Walker struck down the ban as unconstitutional, and the case is currently on appeal.

It was also the first time Walker publicly acknowledged his own sexual orientation. Walker said he has been in a relationship with (a) man for 10 years. "He is a physician," Walker said.

Walker also said he would never think of recusing himself from a case over his sexuality:

Walker, who retired from the bench at the end of February, said it would not be appropriate for any judge's sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin or gender to stop them from presiding over a case.

"That's a very slippery slope," Walker said.