Baltimore – Today, the NAACP sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee opposing the nomination of Steven Menashi to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and calling upon the White House to withdraw the nomination. Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, made the following statement:
“In two days, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on the nomination of Steven Menashi to the Second Circuit. That vote should not occur. Instead, the White House should withdraw this nomination for the sake of the courts and the country.
Steven Menashi has a vile, offensive record of attacking communities of color and opposing civil rights protections. Under no scenario should he sit in Thurgood Marshall’s former seat on the Second Circuit and preside in the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse. The bias and hostility he has exhibited throughout his adult life prevent him from serving as a fair and impartial judge.
Moreover, Steven Menashi has refused to participate in the confirmation process, creating another reason for the Senate to reject him. He serves as White House counsel but refuses to answer questions asked by senators of both parties about his work for Trump, including his role in the Ukraine scandal.
The White House must withdraw this nomination. Even in the Trump era, we must expect a threshold level of decency and fairness in our judges.”
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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our six “Game Changer” issue areas here.
