The House-passed COVID-19 relief package answers the call of civil rights groups to lift and protect the hardest hit communities and our democratic institutions as this pandemic continues to wreak havoc on economic security, health, families, and lives. It is now up to the Senate to act.
“It’s irresponsible that Chairman Graham convened the committee to continue churning out Trump and McConnell’s extreme judicial nominees while ignoring the devastating shock this pandemic is having on our country. As too many people need more relief, it is shameful that the Senate is spending time on a nominee like Schwartz, who has dedicated his career to defending some of the most extreme voting rights restrictions and anti-LGBTQ measures. His recently revealed offensive college writings make clear that his beliefs extend well beyond his legal arguments.
On Wednesday, May 6 at 11 AM, Senators and advocates for health care, civil rights, and justice will hold a digital rally against the nomination of Justin Walker to the D.C. Circuit. The rally will immediately follow his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Walker praised Brett Kavanaugh for having written the “roadmap” to overturn the Affordable Care Act and scorned the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the law as “indefensible” and “catastrophic.” Walker also supports broad executive power, and would be poised to shield Donald Trump from the scrutiny of congressional oversight. Senate Republicans are nevertheless risking the safety of their colleagues, Senate staff, and the public to push through his nomination in the middle of a pandemic.
In March, as congressional leaders worked to reach a deal on a COVID-19 relief package, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell shut down the Senate so he could attend the swearing-in ceremony for his political protégé, Justin Walker, who was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky last October.
WASHINGTON — Forty pro-democracy and civil rights groups today joined in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, urging them to halt the process of federal judicial nominations and confirmations at this time. The groups are members of the Fair Courts Task Force of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and wrote to urge "a cessation of the consideration of lifetime judicial nominees at a time when a continued focus on support and resources to address the COVID-19 pandemic should be paramount."
WASHINGTON –On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ Fair Courts Task Force, 42 groups outlined four principles for federal, state, and local courts to protect our civil and human rights and provide justice for all during this public health crisis. The principles were outlined in a letter to the Judicial Conference of the United States, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s intent to nominate Cory Wilson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Justin Walker to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit:
WASHINGTON –The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, The Leadership Conference Education Fund, and National Women’s Law Center, along with 67 national, state, and local organizations, filed a “friend of the court” brief today urging the Supreme Court to uphold the rights of workers against discrimination by religious employers.