Advancing VanDyke Pollutes the Federal Bench

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 21, 2019 – Following the Senate Judiciary Committee’s party-line vote to advance the nomination of Lawrence VanDyke to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement:

“It’s disappointing the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination of Lawrence VanDyke, who the American Bar Association deemed ‘not qualified’ in a scathing rebuke of his temperament. After 60 interviews, the ABA concluded that VanDyke is “arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge of the day-to-day practice, including procedural rules.” Currently, he is working for the Trump administration to dismantle environmental protections, reflecting a long record of supporting fossil fuel companies and attacking clean air and water protections. He has also worked with the Alliance Defending Freedom, an anti-LGBTQ hate group, and has eagerly sought opportunities to overturn LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections. Senate Republicans clearly supported VanDyke not because he is a qualified jurist, but because they are confident he will prioritize his ultraconservative ideology over upholding the rule of law.”