WASHINGTON— Today, People For the American Way (PFAW) released a digital ad urging viewers to call their senators and demand that Jeff Mateer’s nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas be withdrawn. The ad features footage from a 2015  speech titled “The Church and Homosexuality” in which Mateer said transgender children are part of “Satan’s plan” of “destruction.” In addition, it includes video footage of far-right pastor Kevin Swanson advocating for the death penalty for gay people during a 2015 conference he organized and where Mateer agreed to speak.

The ad will run in Texas, Maine, Ohio, Alaska, Nevada and South Carolina.

“Jeff Mateer has spent his career promoting bigotry against the LGBTQ community, and he is completely unfit for a lifetime seat on the bench. His record has shown he would not be able to provide a fair hearing for all people in his courtroom,” PFAW President Michael Keegan said. “Senators must make it clear that this kind of hate has no place in our courts and that this nomination should be withdrawn.”

Watch the ad: https://youtu.be/rjxrcRRzmok

PFAW spokespeople are available for TV, radio and print interviews on Mateer and efforts to oppose his nomination. To schedule one, please email [email protected]

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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