WASHINGTON, D.C.— Following today’s Senate vote to confirm Lawrence VanDyke, a Trump nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, PFAW Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Marge Baker released the following statement:

“Today we watched Republican senators voluntarily cast votes to confirm a Ninth Circuit judge who has been described by colleagues in the legal world as ‘lazy,’ ‘arrogant,’ and an ‘ideologue.’ Lawrence VanDyke is the latest Trump judicial nominee to be confirmed despite a ‘Not Qualified’ rating by the ABA, which also warned that he may be biased against LGBTQ individuals who appear before him. This confirmation is shameful and harmful, and the senators who voted for it are going to have to explain it to constituents who are increasingly aware of their elected representatives’ role in filling the courts with extreme right-wingers like VanDyke.”

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.