SPLC President: Take Action Now on SCOTUS — Everything Is At Stake

The following statement was submitted by Richard Cohen, President of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
 
President Trump has just nominated another right-wing ideologue to the Supreme Court – and it's hard to overstate the implications.

If Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed, we'll no longer be able to rely on the federal judiciary to protect the rights of the most vulnerable people in our country.

Even worse, much of our progress toward economic, social and racial justice could be rolled back in the coming years.

Everything is at stake – marriage equality ... voting rights ... access to health care ... reproductive and privacy rights ... racial equality ... religious freedom ... more.

We can't take our basic rights for granted.

Trump announced his choice on the 150th anniversary of the 14th Amendment. Enacted just after the Civil War, it guaranteed citizenship to all people born in the United States in addition to equal protection of the law and due process.

Soon after, however, the Supreme Court gutted the amendment, ignoring its principles of equality for nearly a century as it upheld racial segregation. All of that changed in a fundamental way when the Court in 1954 resurrected the 14th Amendment's promise of racial equality in Brown v. Board and subsequently dismantled Jim Crow.

Since then, the Court has cited the 14th Amendment to extend the rights of citizens in landmark decisions, including Roe v. Wade and the more recent ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

All of this could change once again.

Trump has chosen his nominee from a list compiled by the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation. Without question, these groups are committed to a hard-right agenda.

Our country deserves better.

Make your voice heard today! Contact the following six key senators – whose votes could make the difference – and tell them not to be a rubber stamp for the Federalist Society. Tell them to vote "no" on this Supreme Court nomination.
   
Joe Manchin (WV)
Phone: (202) 224-3954
Twitter: @Sen_JoeManchin

Joe Donnelly (IN)
Phone: (202) 224-4814
Twitter: @SenDonnelly

Heidi Heitkamp (ND)
Phone: (202) 224-2043
Twitter: @SenatorHeitkamp

Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Phone: (202) 224-6665
Twitter: @lisamurkowski
 

Susan Collins (ME)
Phone: (202) 224-2523
Twitter: @SenatorCollins

Doug Jones (AL)
Phone: (202) 224-4124
Twitter: @SenDougJones