Statement by Wade Henderson on the Confirmation of Judge Edward Chen to the Federal Bench

Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in response to today’s confirmation of Judge Edward Chen to the U.S. District Court of Northern California:

“This is welcome news for an overworked federal bench that has waited almost two years for Judge Edward Chen’s confirmation. Judge Chen’s experiences – as a magistrate judge and author of more than 300 opinions, a community advocate, a small business owner, and the son of immigrants – combine to make him a well‐rounded candidate who will always seek to ensure just results for all litigants who appear before him.

What’s troubling is that that it took so long to confirm such a well-qualified nominee to this position, which was designated as a “judicial emergency” by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.  With such impeccable qualifications and demonstrated need for his service, there was no legitimate reason that his confirmation to a judiciary-in-crisis should have taken this long.

There was not even the pretense on the part of Senate Republicans that they were considering Judge Chen’s merits.  These politicians are engaging in an unprecedented use of secret holds and filibusters to delay – and ultimately deny – the confirmation of a significant number of highly qualified and uncontroversial judicial nominees.  This blanket obstructionism is nothing less than an abuse of the Senate’s constitutional duty to “advise and consent” on a president’s nominees.

The Leadership Conference applauds the vote to confirm Edward Chen and urges the Senate to put partisanship aside and promptly provide up-or-down confirmation votes to every nominee recommended by the Senate Judiciary Committee.”

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Wade Henderson is President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.