125+ Organizations Call for Confirmation of Adeel Mangi, Denounce Anti-Muslim Attacks on Historic and Qualified Nominee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patrick McNeil, [email protected]

WASHINGTON — The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, joined by 125 national, state, and local organizations, wrote to senators today expressing strong support for the confirmation of Adeel Mangi to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and condemning the baseless and bigoted attacks being waged against him. The organizations represent the breadth and depth of the civil and human rights community, including faith groups, labor unions, and organizations fighting for LGBTQ rights, reproductive freedom, women’s rights, voting rights, disability rights, and immigrant, economic, and environmental justice.

“Mr. Mangi is fair-minded, brilliant, and has shown throughout his impressive legal career a steadfast dedication to equal justice for all, and he will be a tremendous judge on the Third Circuit,” the groups write. “His work has secured landmark victories and has made a positive impact on people’s lives, and his confirmation would bring to the appellate bench important but underrepresented civil rights experience that is greatly needed in the federal judiciary.”

Despite his impeccable qualifications, Mr. Mangi has faced manufactured and baseless attacks that should never be endured by any nominee. “The anti-Muslim tropes and unfounded assertions against him are the kinds of stereotyping that have long driven Islamophobia, which is on the rise. They also send a dangerous message to communities across the nation and potential future lawyers and judges that their path to the bench and desire to serve our nation will be obstructed by unfounded accusations based solely on their identity,” the groups write.

The letter urges senators to assess Mr. Mangi’s nomination based on his credentials rather than his religion, race, or ethnicity, and it acknowledges that racism and hate facing many communities across the nation — including hate and bias experienced by Muslim, South Asian, and Arab communities — is further stoked by the kind of dangerous attacks that have surrounded Mr. Mangi’s nomination.

“Mr. Mangi is eminently qualified and will be a fair-minded judge. No one should tolerate baseless and bigoted attacks and lies that are being created by an orchestrated campaign to take down the first Muslim federal appellate judge,” the letter states. “History will remember this powerfully important moment for the future of equal justice in America.”

Read the letter here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 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.

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