Feature Story from civilrights.org
Angela Okamura
May 12, 2008
Civil rights groups have opposed the nominations of Steve Matthews and Robert Conrad to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In a May 1 letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), expressed its concerns about Matthews and Conrad, stating: "Judge Conrad and Mr. Matthews have nothing in their records that would indicate that they are committed to the vigorous enforcement of civil rights."
The Fourth Circuit is a crucial civil rights court, receiving a large number of civil rights cases due to its unique population. More African Americans live in the Fourth Circuit than any other circuit, and it has one of the fastest growing Latino populations.
As a federal appeals court, the Fourth Circuit is the court of last resort for many cases, including civil rights claims on a wide range of issues. The court hears appeals from federal district courts in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia.
LCCR's letter notes that while the Fourth Circuit has historically been on the cutting edge of civil rights, in past years a shift to the right has earned the Fourth Circuit "a reputation for its hostility to civil rights claims."
Democrats in the Senate have been pressured by their Republican colleagues and the White House to confirm pending judicial nominees, including Conrad and Matthews. On March 31, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R., Utah, told the National Review that the Democrats were not doing their "duty" by refusing to give the nominees a hearing.
However, civil rights groups have supported the Democrats and have called on the Senate to stop controversial judicial confirmations until after November's election.
People For the American Way and other organizations have called for the implementation of the "Thurmond Rule," an informal but longstanding Senate practice of processing only non-controversial judicial nominees in the months before a presidential election. The rule has been invoked during presidencies of both parties.
"The time has come for the Senate to stand up to President Bush and refuse to allow politics to be the driving force behind every nomination to the federal bench," stated Nan Aron, president of Alliance for Justice. "From this point forward, no controversial judicial nominee should receive a hearing from the Senate Judiciary Committee."
A number of President Bush's controversial nominees are still pending in the Senate, including Gene Pratter and Richard Honaker, nominated to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the Wyoming District Court, respectively.
"The Senate has confirmed 303 of President Bush's judicial nominees, too many of whom are hostile toward or indifferent to civil rights, like Judge Leslie Southwick, Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justice Samuel Alito," said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of LCCR. "It's time for the Senate to stop the rightward shift of our federal courts and commit to protecting the civil rights of all Americans."
