WASHINGTON, D.C.— Following today’s Senate vote to confirm Justin Walker, a Donald Trump nominee to the D.C. Circuit Court, PFAW President Ben Jealous and Executive Vice President for Policy and Program Marge Baker released the following statements:

“Today we saw that Mitch McConnell is not one to let a pandemic or a national crisis around racist policing get between him and a pet project: putting an unqualified family friend on one of this country’s highest courts. McConnell forced the Senate to hold a vote for far-right extremist Justin Walker for the D.C. Circuit instead of focusing on the urgent needs of this nation, and most of his Republican caucus followed along in lockstep. Americans see this. And they will most definitely remember it in November,” said Jealous.

“Justin Walker’s confirmation to the D.C. Circuit after just a few months on a district court in Kentucky is a travesty. Not only is he lacking in experience, he is openly hostile to the Affordable Care Act at a time when millions of Americans are being infected with coronavirus. And his views about unlimited presidential power are way out of the mainstream – he refused to even answer senators’ questions about whether a president can tell an FBI director to ‘go easy’ on political allies. This is a troubling and dangerous day for the D.C. Circuit and the millions of people who could be harmed by Walker’s elevation to this powerful lifetime position,” said Baker. 

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.