WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights sent a letter to the Senate urging opposition to the confirmation of Amy C. Barrett to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
According to The Leadership Conference’s letter, Professor Barrett’s statements and writings reveal a strong bias against reproductive freedom and LGBT rights. Her record demonstrates a dangerous lack of deference to long-standing precedent and judicial restraint.
On LGBT rights the letter states:
“Professor Barrett has also expressed deeply held opposition to marriage equality, signing on to an October 2015 letter that stated: “We give witness that the Church’s teachings – on the dignity of the human person and the value of human life from conception to natural death; on the meaning of human sexuality, the significance of sexual difference and the complementarity of men and women; on openness to life and the gift of motherhood; and on marriage and family founded on the indissoluble commitment of a man and a woman – provide a sure guide to the Christian life.” This language, embraced by Professor Barrett, is in direct conflict with the Supreme Court’s June 2015 decision, Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015), which established a constitutional right to marriage equality in America. Professor Barrett’s bias on LGBT issues would require her to recuse in all cases involving LGBT equality and must be explored at her hearing.”
The letter concludes:
“Finally, this nomination represents another disturbing example of President Trump taking advantage of Republican obstruction. The Seventh Circuit vacancy to which Professor Barrett was nominated became vacant on February 18, 2015, two and a half years ago. President Obama nominated a well-respected former Indiana supreme court justice, Myra Selby, to this vacancy on January 12, 2016, but Senator Coats blocked the nomination by refusing to return his blue slip, thereby denying Justice Selby a hearing and vote. She would have been the first African American and the first woman from Indiana to serve on the Seventh Circuit.”
The full text of the letter is available at: http://civilrights.org/oppose-
