People For Member, The dishonest far-right campaign to smear President Biden’s nominee to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is outrageous — and more of the same. Kristen Clarke is a brilliant civil rights lawyer and a bridge builder. She started her career in the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and has spent years fighting to protect our rights as Americans. And she has done so by finding pragmatic solutions that bring adversaries along. There is truly no more perfect choice to head the Civil Rights Division. But the Far Right has kicked its propaganda machine into high gear to attack her, just as it’s done with so many other women of color nominated for high-level positions. Tucker Carlson has used his Fox News show as a platform to hurl repeated insults at Clarke. One of his guests claimed that she "hates white people" — though the two have never even met. What garbage! That’s why People For the American Way’s #HerFightOurFight campaign is so urgently needed, and why I’m writing to ask for your support. People For is leading an innovative campaign to defend Kristen Clarke and highly qualified nominees like her from the Right’s bigoted attacks and lies. And with the Clarke confirmation fight heating up, the stakes are high and they need your help. I have been a fan of People For the American Way for years — from their work to protect voting rights and strengthen our democracy to fiercely defending core American values like equality, free speech, and religious liberty. Under the current leadership of Ben Jealous — my friend and one of our foremost civil rights leaders — their advocacy will be even more effective. And I am grateful that he asked me to get involved in the #HerFightOurFight campaign. I had the privilege of leading the Civil Rights Division during President Bill Clinton’s administration. I believe with all my heart that enforcing our civil rights laws is essential if our country is going to live up to its ideals. But as you know, not everyone shares those ideals. In fact, the Far Right wants to undermine civil rights by denying Americans effective enforcement under the superlative leadership of Kristen Clarke. With your help, we aren’t going to let them. People For the American Way’s #HerFightOurFight campaign is organizing in key target states and has already produced its first powerful ad about Kristen Clarke — highlighting her record of standing up for people facing harassment and discrimination. We need senators to get the message that they must vote to confirm her. I believe, and Kristen Clarke believes, that leading the Civil Rights Division is a patriotic assignment — because standing up for freedom and equality for all is the essence of patriotism. The Far Right tries to own those ideals, but doesn’t live by them. That’s why we have to defeat their cynical efforts to hold us back. So please join me in #HerFightOurFight to make sure that dishonest right-wing attacks are not allowed to prevent Kristen Clarke from helping us become the kind of country we want to be, where all people enjoy opportunity and are treated equally under the law. Thank you. Ever forward! Deval Patrick
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