WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today there are reports that a group of Democratic senators, led by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), are contacting Trump administration officials to request information on the role of Leonard Leo in the administration’s judicial selection process. The senators note that because Leo is not a government official, he has been evading scrutiny of his work although he plays an outsize part in judicial nominations. People For the American Way Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Marge Baker released the following statement:

“We applaud the senators who are making this critically important call for transparency in the judicial selection process. We know that Donald Trump outsourced his judicial nominations process to Leonard Leo and the Federalist Society a long time ago. But the situation has snowballed out of control. While Leo’s murky network of right-wing nonprofits rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars, he has achieved a virtual lock on appointments to the federal bench. It’s time that the American people and our elected representatives get the whole truth about who is behind this unprecedented effort to buy our justice system on behalf of the wealthy and powerful.”

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.