Senate Republicans and conservatives are reportedly amplifying their objections to the nomination of what could be the first Muslim federal appellate judge by President Joe Biden. The opposition has been criticised by the White House, which has labelled the detractors’ critiques as “Islamophobic attacks”.
Adeel Abdullah Mangi, the candidate in question, has been nominated for the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. According to the information available, his nomination has sparked contention due to his affiliations with a law school group said to have hosted events that featured radical speakers. Despite this, the White House has publicly defended Mangi, an appointment that would assign the first Muslim judge to the circuit.
As part of their efforts to thwart Mangi’s nomination, both the Senate Republicans and the Judicial Crisis Network (JCN) have taken active measures. Notably, the JCN has initiated a digital ad campaign to put pressure on Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), urging them to reject the nomination. The two senators are thought to have seats that are potentially up for grabs in the near future.
The conservative group’s ad campaign constitutes just one aspect of broader attempts by these parties to impede Mangi’s ascent to the role. Should these efforts succeed, they may have implications both for the representation of Muslim identity in the judiciary and for future nominees who are similarly situated.
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