Two Dangerous Judges Nominated to Important Seats – Call Your Senators Now

May 9, 2020

Donald Trump has nominated two judges for important federal court seats. The most critical nomination is for the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit which frequently adjudicates in matters arising from federal agencies potentially affecting the entire country. His confirmation vote could be held the week of May 11th. The second is a very right-wing, anti-abortion rights judge in Mississippi, Cory Wilson.

Justin Walker, currently on the bench in the Western District of Kentucky, was found by the American Bar Association, as “Not Qualified” for this current position because he lacked experience, having practiced less than ten years. Nonetheless, the conservative majority in the Senate confirmed him in October. Now that he has served a few months in that position, the Trump administration is trying to move this 37-year-old judge to one of the most important federal benches in the country where he can continue to exercise his offensive views. Here are just few of Judge Walker’s regressive and anti-women’s rights views:

  • Judge Walker spent his career working against providing healthcare for millions of Americans; in his writings he has expressed approval of Justice Kavanaugh providing the “roadmap” for Supreme Court Justices to dissent from upholding the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA}.
  • Judge Walker has made statements against the right of women to access contraceptive healthcare and opposes the ACA ‘s mandate for employer-sponsored insurance plans to provide contraceptives
  • Judge Walker stated Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s statements regarding her experience of sexual harassment was “mistaken.” Judge Walker’s dismissal of Dr. Blasey Ford’s testimony indicates he may not able to exercise impartiality necessary to examine the facts of a case. 

Judge Walker has demonstrated a career-long commitment to rolling back the rights that determine our health, freedom, and well-being. As a judge in the influential District of Columbia Circuit, Judge Walker will have the power to decide many cases involving critical legal protections for groups and civil rights he has long worked against.

Continuing his plan to pack the courts with the right-wing, anti-women’s rights judges, Donald Trump has nominated Cory Wilson to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Wilson has a long-standing commitment to eroding abortion access. In addition to publishing statements hostile to the holding in Roe v. Wade, Judge Wilson has taken numerous steps to limit abortion access, voted for abortion bans, for parental involvement laws, and defunding Mississippi Planned Parenthoods. Judge Wilson has persistently criticized the Affordable Care Act, calling it “illegitimate” and urging the Supreme Court to rule against it. In Mississippi, Wilson opposed Medicaid expansion that would have benefitted 100,000 persons without health insurance. He is also anti-LGBTQIA+ and has attacked voting rights laws. For more information go to, https://www.afj.org/document/cory-wilson-background-report/

CALL YOUR SENATORS NOW AND URGE THEM TO OPPOSE CONFIRMATION OF JUDGES JUSTIN WALKER AND CORY WILSON. The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121 or go to https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm