More than 100 civil and human rights groups wrote a letter to the Senate on Tuesday demanding that Congress reject Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
The letter was headed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, which has over 200 member groups, and was signed by over 100 groups.
“Many of our organizations opposed Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to the D.C. Circuit, and our fears and concerns have been realized. Judge Kavanaugh has not served as a neutral and fair-minded jurist. He has served as a conservative ideologue who lacks the impartiality and independence necessary to sit on the highest court in the land,” the groups wrote.
President Trump nominated Kavanaugh to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was the deciding vote in many cases where the court’s opinion was split on partisan issues.
The protesting organizations include NARAL Pro-Choice America, the National Bar Association, American Atheists, Human Rights Campaign and NAACP.
The groups expressed worry that Kavanaugh would vote to overturn the landmark 1973 abortion case Roe vs. Wade as well as threaten access to healthcare.
They also accused the nominee of a “lack of commitment to racial justice” and “hostility” to the rights of both workers and immigrants.
Also sparking anxiety was a 2009 law article by Kavanaugh where he opined that “we should not burden a sitting President with civil suits, criminal investigations, or criminal prosecutions” and “the country loses when the President’s focus is distracted by the burdens of civil litigation or criminal investigation and possible prosecution.”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and NARAL in particular are leading aggressive campaigns against Kavanaugh’s nomination.
NARAL President Ilyse Hogue cited a Pew Research poll showing Americans are deeply divided on Kavanaugh’s nomination as proof of the nominee’s “dangerous record has clearly disturbed people and should send clear warning signs to all Senators.”