In response to news that Matthew Petersen, Donald Trump’s nominee to the US District Court for the District of Columbia, will withdraw from consideration for a seat on the federal bench, People For the American Way Vice President Marge Baker issued the following statement.

“As Matthew Petersen’s embarrassing performance in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee made clear, this nominee had no business being confirmed as a federal judge. But his lack familiarity with the most basic parts of the job is only part of the reason that he’s unfit.

“Throughout his time at the Federal Election Commission, Petersen has made clear that he’s got one agenda and one agenda only: to give wealthy individuals and powerful corporations even more power in our elections. That record of giving more control of our government to the powerful at the expense of all Americans is why Trump nominated him in the first place. Since the beginning, this administration has made every effort to stack the courts with narrow minded elitists pushing the same dangerous agenda that Petersen has supported throughout his career.

“Donald Trump and his allies knew exactly what they were getting when Matthew Petersen was nominated: someone who would help him rig the game for powerful interests. His defeat, along with the defeat of Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer last week, is an example of what can happen when Americans stand up and say enough is enough. And there are still lots of other nominees in the pipeline who deserve the same intense scrutiny that made those nominees’ flaws glaringly apparent.”

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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