Washington, D.C., August 22, 2019 – In response to reports that Steven Menashi, President Trump’s nominee for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, has made numerous remarks disparaging efforts to prevent sexual assault, secure LGBTQ equality, and promote diversity efforts, AFJ President Nan Aron released the following statement:
“Steven Menashi’s litany of racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks should be absolutely disqualifying for anyone seeking a lifetime seat on the federal bench. Menashi has attacked individuals organizing ‘Take Back the Night’ marches as ‘campus gynocentrists,’ and accused the Human Rights Campaign of exploiting the death of Matthew Shephard ‘for both financial and political benefit.’ He defended a fraternity ‘ghetto party’ while denouncing the need for academic multiculturalism, and defended the comments of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi claiming ‘the superiority of Western civilization over Islam,’ even after Berlusconi rejected those comments. At the Department of Education, he served as Betsy DeVos’s right-hand man as she rolled back Title IX protections and undermined equal access to quality education. There is nothing in his record that gives any indication that Menashi could be trusted to administer even-handed justice. His nomination must be withdrawn immediately.”