(Washington, D.C.) — The U.S. Senate confirmed seasoned voting rights lawyer Myrna Pérez to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Monday. Her confirmation is historic as Pérez becomes the only Latina now serving on that court and only the second to ever do so, more than a decade after then-Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The following is a statement from Damon Hewitt, president and executive director with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
“We applaud the Senate’s confirmation of Myrna Pérez. She is extraordinarily qualified to serve as a federal appellate judge and brings much-needed racial and ethnic diversity to the Second Circuit, as only the second Latina since then-Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on that court. She also brings professional diversity as a civil rights lawyer who has devoted her career to defending voting rights. She is one of our nation’s finest lawyers, having litigated some of the most complex and challenging voting rights cases alongside our organization and others. Her career is a testament to her commitment to helping our society reach the goals of equality, fairness, and justice for all.
“With voting rights under attack in communities across the country, the confirmation of judges like Myrna Pérez is critical to providing the expertise-driven leadership that our federal bench critically requires. In a political landscape too often influenced by anti-democratic forces, our courts will benefit significantly from a jurist equipped to protect the voices and interests of people who have faced unjust treatment and discrimination in voting.
“This historic confirmation by the U.S. Senate also sends a clear message to the American people that integrity, intellect, and impact still matter for our judicial system. Communities of color and their voices are a critical part of what makes democracy fundamental in our march towards equality for all.”
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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. 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 voting rights, criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and hate crimes. For more information, please visit https://lawyerscommittee.org.
