Washington, D.C.— Following the GOP-controlled Senate’s action to confirm five more Trump lower-court judges this week, while taking no action on COVID relief or federal government funding that is about to run out, People For the American Way President Ben Jealous and Executive Vice President Marge Baker released the following statements:
“The election is over and Donald Trump is on his way out the door, but Mitch McConnell is still more interested in enabling the destruction of our judiciary with extreme right-wing judges instead of finally prioritizing the urgent needs of the American people as COVID cases rise across the country,” said Ben Jealous. “Instead of urgent COVID relief, McConnell’s Senate is focused on confirming individuals who have fought against voting rights. They include yet another person rated Not Qualified by the ABA because she has so little experience. The standards have been falling for federal judges since Trump took office and are reaching rock-bottom. Shame on Republicans for rushing to confirm these far-right extremists, and kudos to the vast majority of Democrats who voted no. We look forward to a very different caliber of judicial nominees under the incoming Biden administration as well as a president who will prioritize the urgent need to pass COVID relief.”
“These judicial confirmations are a shameful and virtually unprecedent abuse of the lame-duck session at the end of a president’s term,” said Marge Baker. “The American people voted in record numbers to replace Donald Trump, in large part because of his repeated efforts to subvert the rule of law and ignore democratic norms. But Senate Republicans led by Mitch McConnell are still enabling this defeated and discredited president to make lifetime appointments to our federal courts. This is a blatant rejection of the will of the American people, and we are grateful to Democratic senators who were willing to stand up and say so. The Biden administration will face an enormous challenge in repairing Trump’s damage to our federal courts; thankfully, they are up to the task.”
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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.