Support Cloture on the Confirmation of Judge David Hamilton
Recipient: U.S. Senate
Dear Senator:
On behalf of the Leadership Conference of Civil Rights (LCCR), the nation’s oldest, largest, and most diverse civil and human rights coalition, we urge you to support cloture on the confirmation of Judge David Hamilton as Associate Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. In his fourteen years of service on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Judge Hamilton has truly distinguished himself through his outstanding intellectual credentials and his respect for the rule of law, establishing himself beyond question as fully qualified and ready to serve.
Judge Hamilton will be an impartial, thoughtful, and highly-respected addition to the Seventh Circuit. The American Bar Association, which provides evaluations of nominees’ integrity, competence, and temperament to serve on federal courts, recently provided a unanimous rating of Judge Hamilton as “well-qualified,” the highest ranking achievable. The course of his career demonstrates his qualifications.
During his long tenure on the bench, Judge Hamilton has heard thousands of cases, and has delivered more than 1,200 opinions. He has a history of handing down fair and judicious decisions, deciding cases based upon the careful application of the law to the facts of cases. His record indicates that he understands the court’s role in protecting the rights of all Americans and ensuring equal justice and treatment, and his thoughtful and articulate approach will allow litigants to feel, regardless of the outcome, that they were given a fair day in court.
Given his stellar record, Judge Hamilton has garnered broad bipartisan support, across ideological lines, reaching all corners of the legal community. He has the enthusiastic support of both of his home state senators, Sens. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), endorsements that are echoed loudly by the practicing attorneys, academics, and other legal experts throughout Indiana who are most familiar with his record.
Despite the efforts of a small number of ideological extremists to tarnish his reputation, Judge Hamilton’s record exhibits a deep respect for the Constitution and the rule of law. He has been widely praised as fair-minded and ethical, and he delivers thoughtful rulings in cases based upon their merits. For these reasons, LCCR strongly urges you to support the motion to invoke cloture on Judge Hamilton’s confirmation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact LCCR Counsel Rob Randhava at (202)-466-6058.
Wade Henderson
President & CEO
Nancy Zirkin
Executive Vice President