WASHINGTON, D.C., November 20, 2019 – The Senate has confirmed many of President Trump’s judicial nominees, including those who are extreme ideologues and unqualified jurists. In advance of tonight’s Democratic primary debate, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“We have seen Senate Republicans repeatedly rubber-stamp Trump’s judicial nominees, even when they have no experience in the courtroom or when they have extreme beliefs that would turn back the clock on the rule of law. Last month, they confirmed Justin Walker to preside over a courtroom despite having barely stepped foot in one before. Then last week they confirmed extremist Steven Menashi over the objections of tens of thousands of teachers, students, workers, civil rights advocates, and consumers.

“We need the Democratic candidates to talk about the courts, including both the Supreme Court and other federal courts. Americans of every stripe are directly impacted by the rulings of these lower courts, and we must prepare to reverse the damage Trump has done to the judiciary. That means recognizing the importance of winning back the Senate and nominating district court and circuit court judges who are both competent and prepared to uphold the Constitution — rather than try to bend the Constitution to their will.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 16, 2019 – Following the discussion at Tuesday night’s Democratic debate about how to protect reproductive freedom through the courts, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“It’s refreshing to hear presidential candidates express their desire to stand up for judges who will protect the rights guaranteed in our Constitution rather than turn the clock back on reproductive freedom. We must fight vigorously for judicial nominees who will not only uphold a constitutional right to an abortion, but who also understand the consequences that draconian anti-choice laws cause in people’s lives. As several candidates pointed out, we must likewise repeal the Hyde amendment so that there are no obstacles for individuals to make decisions about their own bodies. Nominees who oppose reproductive freedom must not be handed lifetime appointments on the federal bench.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 15, 2019 – As the impeachment inquiry dominates the nation’s attention, the Democratic candidates are gathering for another presidential debate. In advance of tonight’s event, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“As we saw last week when a Trump-appointed appeals court judge showed her allegiance by trying to shield him from a House investigation, the president’s role in selecting judges is critical to preserving the rule of law. We have not heard enough from the candidates about how they will prioritize judicial appointments should they be elected. With the quakes of the impeachment inquiry rocking our democracy daily, the role judges play in shoring up that foundation must be front and center. Tonight is the perfect opportunity for the candidates to commit to appointing judges who will first-and-foremost preserve civil rights and critical constitutional principles.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 5, 2019 – Following Sen. Susan Collins’s (R-ME) announcement today that she will vote against the confirmation of Chad Readler to a seat on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, AFJAC President Nan Aron released the following statement:

“Today Senator Susan Collins announced she will vote against confirming Chad Readler to the federal bench. This is the only reasonable choice for Sen. Collins, because Readler has helped lead the Trump Administration’s efforts to destroy health care protections for preexisting conditions. Now other Republican senators face a test: will they stand with the millions of Americans who have preexisting conditions, or will they vote to confirm Chad Readler? As Sen. Collins made clear, they can’t do both — and their voters won’t forget which decision they make.”

In early February, Alliance for Justice Action Campaign launched a five-figure digital ad campaign featuring videos of Republican senators, including Collins, stating that they support health care coverage for persons with preexisting conditions. The ads called on these senators to stand by their words and vote no on Readler. The other senators featured in the campaign were Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Cory Gardner (R-CO).

See the campaign announcement and videos here.

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 11, 2019 – The Alliance for Justice Action Campaign has launched a series of digital ads featuring senators’ own words in favor of preserving health care for preexisting conditions — and tying them to an upcoming confirmation vote on Sixth Circuit judicial nominee Chad Readler. As a Justice Department official, Readler has led the Trump Administration’s effort to declare Affordable Care Act coverage for preexisting conditions unconstitutional.  Readler’s efforts pose a critical threat to health care for more than 50 million Americans with preexisting conditions.  Senators who claim to support coverage for people with preexisting conditions can’t cast a vote to confirm Readler without undermining their own positions.

The new AFJ Action Campaign ads feature audio and video of Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) stating their support for protecting health care coverage for people with preexisting conditions.  The ads call on these senators to stand by their words and Vote No on the confirmation of Chad Readler.  The ads are targeted to voters in these states, urging them to call their senators and tell them to reject Readler for the federal bench.

“These senators have a very simple decision to make,” said AFJ Action Campaign President Nan Aron. “Will they stand by their pledge to protect constituents with preexisting conditions, or will they bend to political pressure and vote to confirm Chad Readler, a person who has led the Trump Administration’s charge against these protections?  If these senators really care about Americans with preexisting conditions, they have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.”

The videos can be seen here:

Susan Collins

Thom Tillis

Lisa Murkowski

Cory Gardner

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 1 – Des Moines, Iowa – Today, advocates from Iowa and 17 other states descended on the office of Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) to urge him not to destroy a 100-year-old Senate tradition that would prevent Senate Republicans from rubber-stamping President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees without the approval of home-state senators.

The Senate is preparing to confirm federal appeals court nominee Michael Brennan to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals despite the objection of one of his home-state senators, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin). The Blue Slip rule has long required that both home state senators consent to a judicial nominee in order to move the nomination forward.

This bipartisan rule has always been honored by both Democratic and Republican Senate leaders, most recently during the Obama administration. In fact, a previous nominee for this seat nominated by President Barack Obama was never confirmed because her home-state senator objected. Yet current majority Senate leadership wants to dismantle this time-honored rule by forcing Brennan’s nomination process to move ahead over Baldwin’s objections.

“Chuck Grassley has been in the Senate for more than three decades, but it’s clear that his legacy will be defined by his willingness to debase the Senate Judiciary Committee to help Donald Trump push narrow-minded elitists onto lifetime seats on the federal bench,” said Drew Courtney, vice president for communications and research at People for the American Way. “Now more than ever we need a senate that will stand up for the checks and balances that protect our rights and the rule of law. Iowa deserves an independent senator in Washington. In Chuck Grassley, they have a rubber stamp.”

“While we certainly appreciate the senator and his staff’s willingness to meet with us, we urge him to listen to our concerns and act on behalf of all Iowans and Americans when it comes to our federal judiciary,” said Sue Dinsdale, Director Iowa Citizen Action Network.

“An unprecedented number of federal judicial vacancies are being filled at an accelerated pace with ideological nominees,” said Jody Rabhan, director of Washington Operations at the National Council of Jewish Women. “We’re here to tell Senator Grassley that our federal courts should not be packed with narrow-minded elitists who will roll the clock back on protections for historically disadvantaged groups while favoring corporations and the powerful. We know courts matter, and we’re thrilled to join Iowa leaders and advocates from across the country to let Senator Grassley know that the Senate must consider diverse, independent, and fair nominees for these critical lifetime appointments.

“Senator Grassley’s constituents are speaking out about his unique role as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,” said Cedric Lawson, field manager at The Leadership Conference Education Fund. “They know that their senator has the power to be an independent check on a dangerous precedent, but he is refusing to play that critical role. Instead he is acting as a rubber stamp and breaking long standing Senate practices to rush through extreme and unqualified judicial nominees.”

“The prospect of the Senate abandoning the tradition of blue slips is a major disappointment,” said Courts Matter Nebraska Coalition Co-Chair Carol Bloch. Robbie McEwen, fellow co-chair of the coalition. “The blue slip process ensures that home states have a voice in the federal judicial nominations process and that is an important value we need to protect in the Eighth Circuit and the entire country.”

“This longstanding tradition gives a voice to the people most affected by a judicial nomination,” said Jamal R. Watkins, vice president for civic engagement at NAACP. “Senators who would know a nominee best can ensure their constituents are getting the best judges the state has to offer. It’s a 100-year-old tradition because it makes very good sense. To undermine it or use it at will continues the pattern of disregarding vulnerable communities, communities of color and those who are left out of the elite ruling class – a pattern that the NAACP has been fighting to dismantle for decades.”

“In Wisconsin we’ve seen firsthand the kinds of people and the repugnant views Michael Brennan thinks are acceptable for judges,” said Analiese Eicher, program director, One Wisconsin Institute. “It’s clear we can’t count on him to carry out the most basic functions of a judge on the federal bench treating everyone equally before the law.”

“As Senate Judiciary Chair, Sen. Grassley bears the lion’s share of responsibility for abusing the nominations process and fast-tracking Donald Trump’s unqualified and extreme nominees for lifetime seats on the federal bench,” said Nan Aron, President of Alliance for Justice Action Campaign. “Iowans and national allies are making it clear today that Grassley will be held accountable for the damage he is doing to the federal bench.”

“The Senate has always been the legislative chamber that prided itself on comity, deliberation and the ability to work together in a bipartisan manner on behalf of the American people,” said Michele Jawando, vice president at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. “Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. Engaged advocates, leaders, and citizens are joining together from across the country to fight for a tradition that moderated the Senate, represented to the will of all people, and ensured that fair minded Constitutionalists, as opposed to narrow minded prejudiced elites are confirmed to the federal judiciary. We are proud to stand with them and remind this senate of their constitutional duties to the American people.”

“LGBTQ Iowans understand how important the courts are to protecting constitutional rights,” said Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel, executive director of One Iowa Action. “Giving everyone a level playing field requires staffing the judiciary with fair-minded constitutionalists who are representative of the population they serve. Senator Grassley has unfortunately been all too willing to advance extreme judicial nominees with few or no qualifications simply based on which party appointed them. We call on the Senator to raise his standards and do his job in properly vetting judicial candidates for impartiality, diversity, and experience.”

Heading to Netroots Nation this August? AFJAC will be there!

AFJAC is committed to fighting Donald Trump’s conservative takeover of our courts, and we’re looking forward to the chance to meet and greet fellow advocates and activists as we resist his radical agenda. You can find our table in the Town Hall on Thursday 10-4, Friday 8:30-4, and Saturday 9:30-3.

And don’t miss events hosted by our sister organization Alliance for Justice.  AFJ’s panel discussion, RESISTANCE THROUGH THE COURTS: OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST TRUMP’S AGENDA, will be on Thursday at 1 pm. AFJ’s Bolder Advocacy Program will host a training on Friday at 9:oo am, BE BOLD! 7 LEGAL RULES FOR DIGITAL ADVOCACY THAT EVERY NONPROFIT SHOULD KNOW, so you can find out more about making your organization the best and most effective advocate for your mission. Bolder Advocacy has trained thousands of advocates at nonprofits—particularly 501(c)(3)s and 501(c)(4)s– to make the most of their advocacy.

See you at Netroots!