Civil and Human Rights Coalition Condemns Committee Approval of Nielson

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee today voted, on a party-line basis, to advance the nomination of Howard Nielson to be a U.S. District Judge for the District of Utah:

“Yet again, the Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans are rubber stamping Trump’s extreme judicial nominees. The courts are being remade in his image by the Senate’s advancement of nominees who have very troubling records.

“Mr. Nielson’s record shows that he is not committed to the core American values of justice, fairness, and inclusivity. He has worked throughout his legal career to restrict the rights and freedoms of marginalized communities. He has attempted to justify the use of torture. He tried to have a judge removed from a marriage equality case because the judge is gay. And he was involved with a Justice Department screening committee that was rebuked for its discrimination against job applicants who had worked for progressive public interest organizations. This is not the type of record that demonstrates he will serve as an impartial judge. The full Senate must reject his confirmation.”

Last month, The Leadership Conference sent a letter to the Senate urging opposition to Nielson. That letter is available here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is 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 member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.