Alabama NAACP Among Groups Opposing Trump’s Federal Appeals

The president of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP joined Delaware Senator Chris Coons and others on a press conference call Tuesday (February 11) to oppose Donald Trump’s nomination of an Alabama judge to a federal appeals court seat.

The Senate will likely vote on the confirmation of U.S. District Judge Andrew Brasher to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Alabama, Florida and Georgia, this week.

Alabama.com reports Brasher “was one of the state’s lawyers who filed a brief in 2013 urging the U.S. Supreme Court to end a requirement under the Voting Rights Act for Alabama to receive approval from the Justice Department before enforcing any changes in election laws. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Shelby County in that case in 2013, effectively ending the preclearance requirement for Alabama and other states.”

Ending preclearance has resulted in widespread voter suppression, which many have argued contribute to Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016. Alabama NAACP President Benard Simelton said in a statement, “We depend on our federal courts to enforce the Voting Rights Act and that doesn’t change just because Donald Trump is president. And this is precisely when we need to be more vigilant. Voter suppression is more rampant with each passing day and we are fighting back, and that means protecting our courts also.”

Sen. Coons said it is crucial to stop Basher “in continuing the fight against Trump’s absolutely uncalled for, unqualified, conservative nominees, who are going to keep moving us to the right and stripping us of our vital protections.”

According to Vox, 86 percent of Trump’s judicial appointees have been white.