Civil and Human Rights Coalition: Senators Must Demand Answers from Dreiband, Judicial Nominees

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement ahead of today’s nominations hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Among the nominees being considered are Eric Dreiband to be Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, and Amy Coney Barrett to be U.S. Circuit Court Judge for the Seventh Circuit:

“All of these nominees have the potential to impact the lives of many, and it is incumbent upon senators to not only ask the tough questions, but to demand actual responses. Too often, nominees fail to disclose how they will act if they are confirmed – doing a disservice to the public they seek to serve.

Eric Dreiband’s record shows he is the wrong person to lead the Civil Rights Division. The leader of that division must have an allegiance to civil rights, and not to the president or a political party. This is particularly true given the Trump-Pence administration’s open hostility to, and demonstrated record of undermining, our core civil rights.

Given the lifelong impact that judges can have, senators must scrutinize the records of these nominees. Above all else, they should have a demonstrated allegiance to the rule of law, and an ability to apply the Constitution’s protections to all.”

In August, nearly 80 civil and human rights groups sent a letter to senators urging them to oppose the confirmation of Eric Dreiband. More information on that letter is available here. Also in August, The Leadership Conference sent a letter to the Senate urging opposition to the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett. 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 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.