VanDyke and Bumatay Are Trump’s Latest Attempts to Transform Ninth Circuit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rafael Medina, [email protected], 202.869.0390

WASHINGTON – Lena Zwarensteyn, Fair Courts Campaign Director at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on today’s Senate vote to advance the nominations of Lawrence VanDyke and Patrick Bumatay to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, for seats in Nevada and California, respectively:

“VanDyke and Bumatay are Trump’s latest unqualified Ninth Circuit nominees to be advanced by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“VanDyke’s entire career has been devoted to attacking civil and human rights, including LGBTQ equality, reproductive freedom, and environmental protections. His record is disqualifying, and he lacks the temperament necessary to be a federal judge.

“Bumatay, like VanDyke, is a political operative in the Trump administration whose career indicates he would not be fair-minded. Bumatay played a central role in advancing the nominations of both Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh during their Supreme Court confirmation fights. He also furthered efforts to perpetuate mass incarceration.

“We thank the home-state senators from California and Nevada for their outspoken opposition to these nominees. However, we continue to call on the full Senate to reject VanDyke and Bumatay for what they are: extreme, unqualified, and unfit individuals who cannot be trusted with lifetime appointments.”

Read The Leadership Conference’s letters in opposition to the confirmations of Lawrence VanDyke and Patrick Bumatay.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 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.