Washington, D.C. — Today, President Joe Biden announced a new round of judicial nominees that reflects a commitment to bringing diversity to the federal bench. In response, Maggie Jo Buchanan, director of Legal Progress at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
President Biden has again shown his commitment to diversity in this newest set of nominees, which includes three former public defenders. Among them, Eunice C. Lee would be only the second African American woman to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, as well as the longest-serving public defender to sit on any appellate court.
Americans deserve a judiciary representative of the diversity of our country. We look forward to future nominees who will continue to diversify the bench in critical ways — including gender, race, ethnicity, and religion — as well as those from the disability and LGBTQ communities. These nominees also must have expertise not only in serving the needs of corporations, but also in serving ordinary people. Confirming individuals with deep experience in public defense, as well as working for legal aid and civil rights organizations, is critical to a fair judiciary that reflects the needs of modern Americans.
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For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.