The Good News

The Biden Administration has released its 47th slate of judicial nominees! Of the five nominated, three are women, two are people of color, one is a sitting judge already, and two, including a movement lawyer, are professionally diverse. As only one nominee requires a Republican blue slip, Alliance for Justice looks forward to a straightforward path to confirmation for this latest slate. 

We at AFJ are particularly thrilled to see Judge Rebecca Pennell nominated to the Eastern District of Washington. Judge Pennell, who currently serves as a judge on the Washington Court of Appeals in Spokane, has an extensive background in public defense, with firsthand experience representing indigent clients from, inter alia, the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation. And this is just one example of her deep understanding of the legal challenges faced by vulnerable communities.  

Judge Pennell also played a pivotal role in establishing re-entry drug court programs in Yakima and her region of Washington. She is or has been involved in organizations including the Rotary Club, the Washington State Civil Legal Aid Oversight Committee, and the boards of the YWCA of Yakima and the Yakima Area Arboretum. 

Supreme Shenanigans

On March 26, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, the case concerning access to mifepristone, which can be safely used in medical abortions, across the United States. While most justices appeared unimpressed by the anti-abortion physicians who claimed to fear the possibility of being called on to provide abortion-related care—shaky standing on which to bring a claim, even at the Roberts Court.  

To no one’s surprise, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito used the ‘mife’ arguments as an opportunity to preview their support for resurrecting an 1873 “anti-obscenity” law known as the Comstock Act, which bars possession of not just abortion-related but birth control. AFJ President Rakim Brooks writes about potential new threats in his latest Democracy Docket piece. 

What’s Next: Championing Adeel Mangi, Moving Ahead with District Nominees 

Now is the time to fill every seat with judges who will secure justice for all. We have just seven months left with this Senate, much of which will be consumed with other issues. It’s imperative that the Biden administration and Senate accelerate and optimize their efforts to fill every vacancy. What’s at stake is nothing less than a fair and efficient justice system that serves all Americans. 

First among equals when it comes to nominees who need a boost is Adeel Mangi, who will be, upon confirmation, the first Muslim federal appellate judge. Confirming him as quickly as possible is critical: Mangi is facing a barrage of Islamophobic right-wing attacks, including ads aired against him in states like Montana and Pennsylvania. The longer we wait, the greater the risk his nomination will flounder. As stated by AFJ President Rakim Brooks: “The Senate should now immediately turn to also confirming Adeel Mangi, another incredibly qualified nominee who has been the subject of gross, false attacks." 

In recognition of the tough path Mangi faces, AFJ has joined affiliate AFJ Action’s call for quick confirmation. Want to know more? Follow this link to the announcement of the Confirm Mangi campaign and share—liberally. The Confirm Mangi campaign can be found at AFJ Action’s website here.

Also important to highlight: three phenomenal district court nominees waiting for a vote. 

Stay Tuned

The 19th annual Netroots Nation conference is July 11-13 in Baltimore. We’ll be there, and you’re invited! Join us in Charm City for the largest annual progressive gathering in the country. 

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