WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy’s seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the national Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law issued the following statement in response:
“It would be an abdication of their constitutional responsibility to merely rubber stamp Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination. We will use every tool in our arsenal to ensure that Judge Kavanaugh is fully and properly vetted by the Senate,” said Clarke.
“This is the most consequential Supreme Court nomination to be taken up by the Senate in decades. Kavanaugh’s nomination arises at a moment when we see this administration undertaking relentless action to undermine the constitutional and civil rights of minority communities. From attacking affirmative action, endorsing voter purge programs, rolling back protections for LGBT communities, weakening protections for students, and undermining the 2020 Census, this administration has taken unprecedented action to rollback the civil rights of vulnerable Americans. This administration’s actions ensure that civil rights battles will remain front and center for the Supreme Court in years to come. Now is the time for the Senate to fully screen Judge Kavanaugh to determine whether he brings an awareness of the ongoing discrimination that threatens our democracy today.”
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law will, consistent with its long-standing practice, issue a full report regarding the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh. We urge the Senate to fully scrutinize and exhaustively examine Judge Kavanaugh’s record.
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 55th year, the Lawyers’ Committee is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights. For more information, please visit https://live-lawyers-committee-2020.pantheonsite.io
