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Hi John,
The results of the November 7 elections were incredibly encouraging to those of us who work for justice. Consecrating the right to an abortion into the Ohio State Constitution, the election of forward thinking, rights protecting candidates in Kentucky and Virginia, and Judge Dan McCaffery’s election to Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ensuring that the court will continue to protect the liberties of all people are all victories to celebrate.
As of this writing, AFJ is also celebrating the confirmation of the Biden administration’s 150th federal judge. |
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These judges are extremely professionally and demographically diverse, including 100 women, 98 people of color, 35 former public defenders, and 23 former civil rights lawyers. Under this administration, we have made powerful progress towards the more diverse, representative, federal judiciary we’ve so long needed.
But there is always more work to be done. There are still 100 vacancies on federal courts to be filled, most of which don’t even have a nominee yet. This is almost entirely because of Republicans’ refusal to work with the White House to fill vacancies in their home states and Senator Durbin’s continued allowance of the Judiciary Committee’s usage of the “blue slip” (the archaic practice that allows senators to unilaterally deny the confirmation of any person the Administration chooses).
On the state level, we’re already looking ahead to 85 judicial races, in 35 states in 2024. We’ve seen how vital our state courts are to protecting our access to education, to protections in the workplace, to LGBTQ rights and equality, to voice at the ballot box, and to the air we breathe and the water we drink. These crucial races will struggle to get the attention they merit in a presidential election year as consequential as 2024. We cannot let that happen. We must work to ensure that voters have the information they need to make informed decisions and increase voter turnout.
This coming Tuesday is Giving Tuesday, an important day for our end of year fundraising and a day in which we hope you will pledge your support and stand with us for the fights and work ahead.
Together we’ve accomplished so much to celebrate, but there is so much left to be done. Please join us. Yours in the fight, Rakim
Sign our Justice Thomas Resign petition. |
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Last week. The Biden Administration announced a new slate of judicial nominees, including two especially impressive circuit court nominees. |
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Nicole Berner, nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Maryland), brings important diversity and legal experience to the bench. A Jewish, LGBTQ+ woman with triple citizenship (U.S., United Kingdom, and Israel), Berner has dedicated much of her career to representing labor unions and working people as SEIU General Counsel. As Alliance for Justice noted in a 2022 report, only about 6% of federal judges have backgrounds in labor law and economic justice. Berner also previously worked for Planned Parenthood Association of America bringing lawsuits to protect reproductive rights.
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Adeel Mangi, nominated to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (New Jersey), is a Muslim, South Asian dual citizen (U.S. and United Kingdom) born in Pakistan. He has extensive experience as a litigator and is renowned for his work representing the Muslim community in civil rights suits. Mangi would become only the third Muslim American to serve on the federal courts and the first ever to serve on any United States Court of Appeals.
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AFJ’s state courts team educated and equipped Pennsylvanians ahead of November’s state court elections for their supreme court and their intermediate appellate courts, the Commonwealth Court and Superior Court. On November 7, voters elected candidates to four seats on Pennsylvania’s statewide courts. Learn more about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court here.
AFJ and our members continued our advocacy for the Oregon Supreme Court vacancy, sending a sign-on letter alongside AFJ members emphasizing the importance of having professionally and demographically diverse judges on the bench. In addition to Oregon, the state courts team is continuing to monitor current and upcoming vacancies in Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
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LATEST RESOURCES FROM BOLDER ADVOCACY |
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In partnership with the Democracy Capacity Project, we’ve released nine new Practical Guidance State Lobbying Resources and three new Nonprofit Voter Assistance guides, with more on the way!
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Deputy Director of Outreach & Membership
After years of working at single-issue nonprofits and organizations, Mike joined AFJ in June 2022, drawn by the breadth of its reach. “When there’s a development around environmental policy or gun violence prevention or reproductive rights, or whatever it may be, the work we do at AFJ allows me to be involved with all those things, because of how wide-ranging our focus is,” he explains. |
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As AFJ’s Deputy Director of Outreach and Membership, he oversees AFJ’s alliance of more than 150 member organizations and associated engagement programming, as well as long-term growth strategy. Read more. |
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Alliance for Justice
11 Dupont Circle NW
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