Civil and Human Rights Coalition Statement on the Passing of Justice Scalia

WASHINGTON – Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in response to the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia:

“Justice Scalia was a formidable figure on the Supreme Court for nearly three decades, and his sudden passing is a great shock to us all. We extend our condolences to his family and colleagues during this difficult time.

The Constitution that Justice Scalia revered provides a mechanism for filling judicial vacancies, and our elected officials must take that responsibility seriously. The work of the United States Supreme Court is too important to the nation to allow a vacancy to go unfilled for an extended period of time. We look forward to working with President Obama and the Senate to confirm a justice in short order.”

Wade Henderson is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations 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.