WASHINGTON—This week President Trump nominated Jeff Mateer to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Mateer spoke at a 2015 conference organized by Kevin Swanson, a far-right pastor who has advocated for the death penalty for gay people. Mateer has also said that transgender children are part of “Satan’s plan” of “destruction.”

People For the American Way Executive Vice President Marge Baker issued the following statement:

“Jeff Mateer is glaringly unfit for a lifetime seat on the federal bench. No one who is willing to stand alongside activists who advocate the death penalty for gay people should get anywhere near a lifetime position on the federal bench. There is no way a senator in good conscience could support a nominee who, based on a career of spewing hateful and bigoted views against the LGBTQ community, has made it very clear he would not be able to provide a fair hearing for all people in his courtroom. Donald Trump should withdraw his nomination and senators should make it clear that the Senate has no business considering this dangerous nominee with such an abhorrent record.”

More information on Mateer’s record of disparaging comments about the LGBTQ community is available at RightWingWatch.org.

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

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