WASHINGTON, D.C.—People For the American Way today released the following statement from PFAW Senior Legislative Counsel Paul Gordon in response to the Senate vote to advance the judicial nomination of Michael Truncale for the Eastern District of Texas.

“As we prepare to mark the 65th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the GOP-led Senate is advancing the nomination of a narrow-minded elitist, Michael Truncale, who will not share with senators whether he believes Brown was correctly decided. Just to be clear: by refusing to give an answer on this question—a question Chief Justice John Roberts answered during one of his nomination hearings—Truncale is refusing to say that legal apartheid in this country will never return. This refusal is enough to disqualify him, but unfortunately it’s not the only disqualifying factor.

Truncale has also demonstrated a dangerous willingness to make up facts to support an ideological agenda involving other people’s constitutional rights—as demonstrated by his evidence-free assertions that ‘voter fraud makes a mockery of our elections.’ Pressed for evidence of this threat to elections, Truncale could provide none, and that’s troubling given that we rely on district court judges to make basic findings of fact relied upon by higher courts.

“His legal views are also hostile to LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive rights, and a federal government constitutionally empowered to impose reasonable regulations on powerful corporate interests.

“Truncale’s record is one of opposition to the constitutional values of equality and justice, a record that does not warrant a lifetime appointment to the United States judiciary.”

About PFAW

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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