Confirmation of Engelhardt Threatens Marginalized Communities

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the Senate’s confirmation of Kurt Engelhardt to a Louisiana seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:

“Judge Engelhardt has had a troubling record during his 17-year tenure as a district court judge, and he does not deserve elevation to a lifetime appointment on a federal appeals court. His dismissal of serious sexual harassment and police brutality cases, as well as his allegiance to an anti-abortion group and the Federalist Society, demonstrate that he is a judge with an ideological agenda. His confirmation will continue the relentless effort by the Trump administration to steer the Fifth Circuit even further to the right, jeopardizing its historically significant role in vindicating the civil rights of its diverse population.”

The Leadership Conference wrote to the Senate on Judge Engelhardt’s elevation to the Fifth Circuit. 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.