VanDyke Confirmation is a Disgrace for the Courts

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 11, 2019 – Following the Senate’s vote to confirm Lawrence VanDyke for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“By confirming Lawrence VanDyke, Republican Senators have abandoned any pretense that they care about the integrity of the courts or the confirmation process. VanDyke has repeatedly taken hardline positions against environmental protections, LGBTQ equality, gun safety, reproductive freedom, and public education; the Senate confirmed him anyway. The American Bar Association deemed VanDyke ‘not qualified,’ finding him ‘arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge’ about court procedures; the Senate confirmed him anyway. Both Nevada senators opposed VanDyke’s nomination; the Senate confirmed him anyway.

“Senate Republicans are knowingly degrading the independence and trustworthiness of our judiciary, and they really don’t seem to care. AFJ and the American people still care, and we will continue to fight for a court system that serves the public interest — not conservative extremists.”