Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee held historic confirmation hearings for five outstanding women of color nominated to the federal bench: Nancy Abudu for a seat on the Eleventh Circuit, Judge Michelle Childs for the D.C. Circuit, Natasha Merle for the Eastern District of New York, Nusrat Choudhury for the Eastern District of New York, and Judge Ana Isabel de Alba for the Eastern District of California. People For the American Way President Ben Jealous released the following statement:

“Today we witnessed a milestone in American history as the Senate Judiciary Committee held confirmation hearings for a total of five outstanding federal judicial nominees who are all women of color.  These nominees include women who will be the first Muslim, first Latina, and first Black woman to serve on their respective courts. At the circuit level they include Nancy Abudu and Michelle Childs, strong protectors of voting rights. Unfortunately we saw the Far Right bring the same playbook to this hearing that they brought to the hearing for future Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson: belittling and talking over nominees, and attempting to smear and distort their records.  That strategy failed with future Justice Jackson and it failed today, with the nominees demonstrating the fairness and judicial temperament they will bring to the bench. We call on the Senate to swiftly confirm these deeply committed and highly credentialed nominees.”

About People For the American Way  

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org