Senate Eviscerates Checks and Balances by Advancing Extremist Nominee Bounds

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued a statement following the party-line vote to advance Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Ryan Bounds:

“The Senate’s complete disregard for its long-standing procedures and traditions reached new lows today. By advancing Bounds’ nomination, the Republican-led Senate is cramming through the first known judicial confirmation over the objections of both home-state senators.

“Oregon Senators Wyden and Merkley opposed Mr. Bounds for good reason. He has made offensive and intemperate comments about racial diversity, sexual assault victims, and LGBTQ rights, and he hid them from the state nominating commission that considered his fitness to serve as a federal judge. His problematic record and disregard for the Senate’s constitutionally assigned role in vetting show that he is unfit to serve as an impartial federal judge. The Senate must reject his confirmation.”

The Leadership Conference has sent a letter to the Senate in opposition to Ryan Bounds.

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.