Civil and Human Rights Coalition: We are Undeterred

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued this statement following the 50-48 vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court:

“All around the country, millions of people rose up for what they believed in. We marched, we rallied, we demanded to be seen and heard, and we called our senators to urge them to vote no on Kavanaugh.

“From the beginning, we have known Kavanaugh would fulfill Trump’s threat to appoint a justice who would roll back decades of progress on civil and human rights, including overturning the Affordable Care Act and gutting Roe v. Wade. To cover up Kavanaugh’s extreme record and lies, Republicans hid records, rushed votes, politicized the FBI background investigation, and publicly mocked survivors of sexual assault.

“Ultimately, after a corrupt, secretive, and partisan process, 50 senators supported the confirmation of someone to the Supreme Court who clearly lacks the temperament, candor, and impartiality for the job. This will haunt Kavanaugh and damage the reputation of the Supreme Court for decades to come.

“The American people will long remember which senators stood with survivors and which ones attacked them. We will hold senators who voted to confirm this dangerous nominee accountable and their legacy will be tied to his future rulings. Despite our heartache and frustration, we are inspired by everyone who came forward to tell their truths and everyone who fought for the values of fairness and justice. We are undeterred in our fight to protect and defend the civil and human rights of all people in this country.”

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.