The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc. (LDF) joined the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Drug Policy Alliance, National Immigration Law Center, and Lambda Legal for a press call today to discuss the Department of Justice’s important civil rights enforcement role and the need for the Senate Judiciary Committee to determine whether Attorney General nominee William Barr is committed to upholding the civil rights of all people.
“If confirmed, William Barr will inherit the abominable legacy of Jeff Sessions, who established policies that undermined and attacked the civil rights of communities of color,” said Janai Nelson, LDF Associate-Director Counsel. “The Trump Justice Department has dismantled racial diversity efforts and rescinded guidance on racial disparities in school discipline and special education, promoted voter suppression, and abdicated its obligation to protect the civil rights of persons who encounter the criminal justice system. Senators must determine whether Barr will continue to weaponize the Justice Department and eviscerate civil rights protections or whether his record suggests that he can repair and restore integrity and fairness to the Justice Department and ensure that all person as treated equally under the law.”
Read the full press statement here. A recording of today’s press call is available here.
