Durbin: Adeel Mangi is Eminently Qualified to be a Federal Appellate Court Judge

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his colleagues to dismiss the smear campaign against Mr. Adeel Mangi and to support his nomination to serve as a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in New Jersey. 

“The Senate has confirmed 194 of President Biden’s judicial nominees to lifetime appointments.  Each of these nominees have been questioned about their qualifications and credentials… But Adeel Mangi, nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, has faced unprecedented and fundamentally unfair personal attacks,” said Durbin.  “Senate Republicans and dark money groups have made bigoted and false claims about Mr. Mangi—the first Muslim American nominated to the federal appellate court.  Rather than focusing on Mr. Mangi’s qualifications or credentials during [his nomination] hearing… Republicans subjected him to irrelevant, combative lines of questioning.”

Despite unequivocally denouncing any acts of antisemitism or bigotry, Mr. Mangi was subjected to combative lines of questioning by multiple Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans about the Israel-Hamas war and was even asked how he celebrated the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks during his nomination hearing.  Numerous Jewish organizations representing more than one million Jewish Americans have voiced support for his historic nomination – including the American Jewish Committee, the National Council for Jewish Women, and a coalition of 15 Jewish organizations.

“Throughout his confirmation process, Mr. Mangi has unequivocally condemned antisemitism and acts of terrorism.  Republican Senators have tried to scapegoat Mr. Mangi for statements made by other people and events he didn’t even attend and wasn’t even aware of.  That is simply guilt by association, and it is wrong.  Any claim that Mr. Mangi is antisemitic is simply false,” Durbin said.  “Yet just this week, the Republican Leader falsely claimed that Mr. Mangi’s confirmation would lead to ‘radicalism on the federal bench.’ … To claim that Mr. Mangi is ‘radical’ ignores his record.”

Durbin went on to describe how Mr. Mangi is eminently qualified to be a federal appellate court judge.  He graduated from Oxford and Harvard Law School and has spent more than 20 years in private practice at a top law firm, focusing on commercial litigation.  Mr. Mangi has served as counsel of record in more than 30 matters before federal appellate courts, as well as for eight amicus briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court.  He has gone above and beyond in his pro bono practice, devoting more than 4,000 hours to representing clients in religious discrimination, asylum, and employment discrimination cases.

Durbin concluded, “Mr. Mangi deserves to be evaluated based on his record, not on bad-faith falsehoods and inuendo.  I urge my colleagues to dismiss the smear campaign against him and support his nomination.”

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

Mr. Mangi was nominated by President Biden on November 15, 2023; had his nomination hearing in Committee on December 13, 2023; and was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 18, 2024.

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