Washington, DC—Following today’s Senate vote to advance Vanita Gupta’s nomination for Associate Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, for full consideration, by discharging the nomination from the Judiciary Committee, People For the American Way President Ben Jealous released the following statement:

“We applaud the U.S. Senate for voting to move forward on Vanita Gupta’s nomination for Associate Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice. Gupta’s public track record as a civil rights leader and attorney is one of the strongest we have seen at any level. She has guided national criminal justice reform efforts, she has won pardons for dozens of wrongfully convicted African Americans facing nearly all white juries, and she has worked to preserve the rights of all Americans as the head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. Despite Gupta’s accomplishments, Republican senators continue their shameless efforts to derail her nomination and cast doubts on her qualifications, but she has our unequivocal support. Her fight will continue to be our fight and we urge the Senate to confirm her without delay.”

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.