AFJ and 71 Groups Demand the Biden Administration Prioritize Judges
WASHINGTON, DC, November 19, 2020 – Recognizing the sizeable damage Donald Trump has done to the judiciary with over 220 ultraconservative judges, Alliance for Justice along with 71 other organizations shared a statement of principles. They urged the Biden administration to quickly fill judicial vacancies with judges who are representative of the people they serve and who are committed to upholding equal justice under law.
The groups have outlined four main principles, calling on the Biden administration and Congress to:
- Be prepared to nominate demographically and experientially diverse judges with a demonstrated commitment to equal justice,
- Prevent procedural roadblocks from delaying expeditious confirmation of outstanding jurists,
- Support legislation to create new judgeships, and
- Ensure staff at the White House and Justice Department are committed to prioritizing judicial selections.
Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement:
“Repairing our federal judiciary must be a day-one priority for President-Elect Biden. For all the damage Donald Trump has done to our democracy, his administration’s efforts to pack our courts with judges who will favor the wealthy and powerful while turning back the clock on rights and protections for everybody else is undoubtedly one of the most crucial to reverse.
For the Biden administration to make a lasting impact that expands access to quality health and reproductive care, protects our environment, and advances equality for every American for generations to come, the appointment of judges representative of our nation is absolutely critical. Alliance for Justice and our partners look forward to working with the incoming Biden administration, as we have with administrations for the past four decades, to appoint fair-minded and independent judges who will advance the rights of all Americans and respect the constitutional values of liberty, equality, and justice for all.”