Press Releases

Today, the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02), released the following statement on President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court.

“Plain and simple, courts matter, especially the Supreme Court – the highest court in the land. But for the Supreme Court, African Americans wouldn’t be able to attend integrated schools, buy a home previously owned by a white person, or sleep at certain hotels. This is what is at stake for our community every time a President gets to nominate a Supreme Court justice.

“Based on the CBC's initial review of Judge Kavanaugh's record, his jurisprudence will likely make the Supreme Court more conservative than it already is, and threaten policies and protections that allow African Americans and other marginalized communities to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“One would think that Senate Majority Leader McConnell would wait until after the election before allowing the Senate to consider this nominee as he insisted on doing two years ago when President Obama nominated Merrick Garland, but this is unlikely since his real reason for doing so was less about the election and more about stealing a Supreme Court seat from the country’s first African-American president.

“President Trump is under a growing cloud of suspicion and it may be appropriate for Senate Majority Leader McConnell to wait until after the Mueller investigation concludes before allowing the Senate to consider this nominee since the issues the commander-in-chief is being investigated for may end up before the Supreme Court.  

“On Wednesday, the CBC will be briefed on Judge Kavanaugh’s jurisprudence by the Chair of the CBC Judicial Nominations Task Force, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). After the briefing, the CBC will release its official position on his nomination.”