Civil and Human Rights Coalition Blasts Senate Confirmation of Leonard Steven Grasz

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate today voted, on a party-line basis, to confirm Leonard Steven Grasz to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit:

“Yet again, the Senate Republicans have rubber stamped an extreme and highly troubling Trump judicial nominee, one who is clearly not qualified to serve as a federal judge.

Mr. Grasz is only the fourth nominee since 1989 to receive a unanimous Not Qualified rating from the American Bar Association (ABA). This rating was based on the nominee’s local reputation for bias, lack of open-mindedness, and offensive demeanor. A person with those qualities should not serve a lifetime appointment on the federal bench. He is also a right-wing extremist who has worked throughout his career to restrict LGBTQ rights and reproductive freedom.

Senate Republicans must start serving as the independent and separate branch of government they are designed to be under the Constitution, and reject extreme nominees who are unfit to serve for life on our federal courts.”

Last month, The Leadership Conference sent a letter to the Senate urging opposition to Grasz. That letter is available here.

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.