Bounds Withdrawal Shows Need for Senate to Fully Vet Nominees

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the withdrawal of the nomination of Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Ryan Bounds:

“Today we saw some Republican senators exercise independence and refuse to be a rubber stamp. Judicial nominees must disclose all of their records. Ryan Bounds did not disclose his articles, which his local bar association described as ‘racist, misogynistic, homophobic and disparaging of survivors of sexual assault and abuse.’ His home-state senators rightly opposed his confirmation, but that did not stop Chairman Grassley and Majority Leader McConnell from advancing this extreme nominee. Those two men want the Republican-led Senate to pack the courts with loyalists to this dangerous president. Bounds now joins several other Trump nominees who were defeated because of their troubling records.

“Placing country over party is long overdue given that these are lifetime positions that directly affect our rights and freedoms. All senators must give the same independent consideration to other judicial nominees who are unfit to serve impartially. Before the Senate considers the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, all of his records must be made available so that he can be fully vetted by each United States Senator.”

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.