I fear that politics, not legal rigor, will rule the day as we move forward with this court. I fear that rulings will come down that may harm LGBTQ people, people of color, women, and move this country backwards. — Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force.
On June 27, Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy announced he is retiring at the end of the session. Kennedy was considered a swing justice, one that wrote multiple rulings in favor of LGBTQ rights, including both Lawrence v. Texas and the ruling for marriage equality. Yet, we must also remember he frequently sided with his even more conservative colleagues to enrich the one percent, weaken the rights of workers, open the floodgates of corporate money into American politics, and undermined the Voting Rights Act. His decision to retire before the midterms all but ensures a right-wing nominee will be installed, throwing the balance of the court against the constitutional right to abortion and access to abortion. Additionally, a new conservative justice could allow religion to be further used to discriminate.
Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force stated that, “With Kennedy’s retirement, Trump now has the power to appoint a person who will disrespect the Constitution, as he has, and allow politics to determine their decisions. He currently has a Congress that, when last considered a Trump appointee to the Court, changed the rules on Supreme Court appointments to allow a simple majority vote to rule the day. We must not kid ourselves, we must fight back and demand the Senate not confirm anyone who would weaken the rights of LGBTQ people and women.”
Carey stated that everyone must use their voices to demand Congress intervene. “We must not sit idly by and let them put Roe v Wade at risk, and we must defend the rights of LGBTQ people. We are going to resist, we are going to tell every member of the United States Senate that we the people must be heard, and we will not let them take our rights away.”
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Alex Morash
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