Demand Justice Statement on Senate Judiciary Committee Votes on First Set of Biden Judicial Nominees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2021
CONTACT: [email protected]
DEMAND JUSTICE STATEMENT ON SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE VOTES ON FIRST SET OF BIDEN JUDICIAL NOMINEES
WASHINGTON, DC — Following the Senate Judiciary Committee votes to advance the first set of President Biden’s judicial nominees and reports that Sen. Grassley said Republicans would oppose Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson due to her public defender background, Demand Justice Chief Counsel Christopher Kang released the following statement:
“Senate Republicans aren’t even trying to hide it anymore: Biden nominees who will bring balance to the federal judiciary will be met with knee-jerk opposition from many Republicans, no matter how brilliant or qualified they may be. If most Republicans are going to oppose anyone with experience as a public defender, Democrats should feel free to do what is necessary to restore balance to the courts without looking to Republicans as good-faith partners, and opposition from Republican senators should be viewed not as a failure of the nominee but as a sign that she brings the kind of experience needed.”
“Senate Democrats made an important downpayment on President Biden’s commitment to professional diversity by advancing two extraordinarily qualified public defenders to the circuit courts, and Majority Leader Schumer should schedule their floor votes before the Senate recesses next week.”
“While it is promising to see so many Democratic senators speak in favor of professional diversity, the district court nominees advanced today offer a reminder that those words need to be met with actions when senators are asked to recommend nominees for their home states.”
# # #
