WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement today condemning the lack of diversity on President Trump’s short list of Supreme Court nominees following the announced retirement of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy:
“We condemn the lack of diversity on President Trump’s purported short list of Supreme Court nominees. The list of 25 judges is one that is 88% white and 76% male and does not reflect the diversity we see across the country today. Rather than soliciting input from a broad cross-section of Americans, the list is one largely constructed by activist groups like the Federalist Society and the Judicial Crisis Network. We urge the White House to solicit input from a broader range of sources and cultivate a new list of diverse, fair and independent judges worthy of future consideration for a seat on our nation’s highest court.
“Notably, the oldest and sole African American who appears on the list is a 67-year-old retired Judge from Michigan. It is hard to believe that this administration gave any meaningful consideration to diversity in constructing its Supreme Court short list. Simply put, this is a non-starter.”
The White House list of President Trump’s potential Supreme Court nominees, issued on November 2017, identified 25 potential nominees, including 6 women. The list also includes 3 people of color, including a 67-year old, retired African-American state court judge from Michigan, a Venezuelan-born federal judge and a federal judge of South Asian descent.
See President Trump’s full list of Supreme Court nominees, issued in November 2017, here.
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
Derrick Robinson | Drobinson@lawyerscommittee.org | 202-662-8217
