Today, the United States Senate confirmed John Kenneth Bush to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in a 51 to 47 vote, along party lines.
Bush’s writings and statements throughout his career in regards to fundamental rights have illustrated contempt for the rights of LGBT Americans, women, and all people living with HIV.
As noted by numerous Senators who spoke out in opposition to this nomination, Bush’s offensive public statements and anonymous blog posts were rife with homophobic and misogynistic language unlike anything in recent memory.
By passing along “birther” conspiracy theories about President Obama and comparing abortion to slavery, John Bush represents a new low in terms of Congressional rubber-stamping of the extremist agenda of the Trump/Pence administration.
Bush’s lifetime appointment to the federal bench was met with widespread opposition, including by nearly every major national LGBT organization.
Lambda Legal led efforts to prevent Bush’s confirmation, spearheading an opposition letter signed by 15 other national LGBT groups in advance of his confirmation hearing.
After the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Bush’s nomination to the full Senate, Lambda Legal continued coordinating stronger opposition to Bush by drafting another letter urging Senators to reject his confirmation, this time signed by 26 national organizations, setting forth the reasons for the LGBT community’s broad and deep opposition to his confirmation, and which many Senators referenced and quoted in their remarks also opposing Bush.
Sharon McGowan, Lambda Legal’s Director of Strategy, had the following comment:
“We left it all on the floor, and put our hearts and souls into opposing the nomination of John Bush to the federal bench. While it is incredibly disappointing that a majority of the United States Senate would hand a lifetime appointment to someone who has such open disdain for so many Americans, we will not be deterred."
"Lambda Legal will continue to resist, push back, and fight against any nomination this administration puts forward who does not believe in equality and dignity under the law, for all Americans. We are thankful to those Senators who held their ground in opposing this nomination, and will be shoulder-to-shoulder with you in future confirmation fights, particularly on nominees with anti-LGBT extremist positions and records.”
