WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2019 – With the first presidential primary debates of the 2020 election set to take place among Democratic candidates June 26 and 27, Alliance for Justice is calling for moderators and candidates to educate the American people about contenders’ positions on the federal courts and judicial nominations. AFJ President Nan Aron released the following statement:
“The federal courts touch every aspect of our lives, from where we can live and work, to whom we can marry, our right to health care, our reproductive rights, the educational opportunities we have and our basic right to clean air and clean water. The next president will have the opportunity to nominate scores of judges to these courts. So it’s vital that when presidential candidates take the stage, they tell the American people how they would approach the nomination of federal judges. Will they look for individuals who understand that the Constitution protects all our rights, rather than individuals who only seek to protect the rights of the powerful? And will they prioritize federal judicial nominations to help remedy the harm done to the federal courts by President Trump’s court-packing?”
To date, well over 100 federal judges have been confirmed under President Trump. These judges are overwhelmingly white and male. Many have records opposing voting rights, consumers’ rights, LGBTQ rights, workers’ rights, women’s rights, environmental safeguards, and more.