Demand Justice: Sinema’s Support for Anti-Choice Trump Judge Shows Senate Democrats Still Don’t Get It

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 13, 2019

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DEMAND JUSTICE: SINEMA’S SUPPORT FOR ANTI-CHOICE TRUMP JUDGE SHOWS SENATE DEMOCRATS STILL DON’T GET IT

WASHINGTON, DC—On Wednesday, Demand Justice joined NARAL in criticizing the decision by U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema to support Trump judicial nominee Michael Liburdi in spite of his anti-choice record and past service as the head of Arizona’s Right to Life PAC. Sinema had the ability to stop this nomination, but instead returned her “blue slip”, allowing it to move forward––and even praised Liburdi at a Senate hearing today.

Sinema’s support for this Trump nominee is the latest example of Senate Democrats’ near-sightedness when it comes to judges. Too many Democrats seem to still view judicial nominations as an opportunity to gain political chits or as a cost-free way to cultivate a reputation as a moderate.

Republican voters will not long remember, let alone reward, Democrats who chose to extend a free pass to Trump’s awful judges. On the other hand, the fallout from these lifetime appointments is permanent. Senators who take a transactional approach in supporting Trump’s judges are not making a victimless decision. They are throwing the real people affected by these judges’ future rulings under the bus. 

Senators with otherwise spotless voting records on legislation on a given issue must be called out when they support judges whom we know will be hostile to that same issue. Sinema may personally have a pro-choice voting record, but when Liburdi goes on to rule against reproductive rights, Sinema will own those decisions. 

As Brett Kavanaugh showed last week in a case involving a controversial anti-abortion law in Louisiana, Trump’s judges are rushing headlong to reverse Roe at the first opportunity. Senate Democrats should not be helping them in this mission.

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