This morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to advance the nomination of Jeffrey Rosen to serve as Deputy Attorney General of the United States. In April, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) released a statement calling on Senators to reject his nomination based on his refusal to endorse the U.S. Supreme Court’s momentous decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Lisa Cylar Barrett, Policy Director at LDF, released the following statement:
“Jeffrey Rosen’s failure to endorse the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education is unprecedented and unforgivable. As Deputy Attorney General, he would be among the highest levels of federal law enforcement, charged with upholding the rule of law as well as the principles of equality laid out in the historic ruling. Mr. Rosen’s refusal to explicitly support the decision sends a distressing signal about what we can expect to see from the Department he will help lead, if confirmed. The Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote to advance his nomination to the full Senate a mere week before the 65th anniversary of the historic ruling is a slap in the face to the students, parents, and attorneys whose bravery and brilliance helped topple legalized apartheid in this country.
“As we approach the 65th anniversary next week, we hope Senators will refresh themselves on the multitude of ways that Brown has shaped the lives of every American and pushed us closer to the ideal of equal justice under the law. Brown’s promise requires action, and we continue to urge Senators to vote no on Mr. Rosen’s nomination.”
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
