As you probably know — Moscow Mitch has the Senate back in session on Monday for the purpose of confirming more unfit, fascist judges. And he’s smugly rubbing our faces in it. He enjoys the cruelty of putting political operatives on the federal bench who are per se incapable of rendering impartial justice for women, workers, PoC, LGBTQ, immigrants, voters, teachers and the most vulnerable members of our society.
WE ARE NOT HELPLESS. There is activism to be done that will force pain on the GOP Senators for this continuing abuse of power.
Trump and McConnell have largely outsourced the creation of the list of trump’s judicial nominees to the Federalist Society. Federalist Society members come from BigLaw. Time to drag BigLaw into this and tell them that these nominations will no longer be happening quietly in the dark. The time for deference to BigLaw, quiet politeness and niceties is OVER. A glaring spotlight is coming.
HERE IS THE MESSAGE WE WILL SEND:
- When your firm’s partners participate in placing bigots, racists and brazen irrational crackpots and zealots on the federal bench — many of them rated ABA unqualified, many barely out of law school, many who have never even tried a case — then your role is about to become very, very public. You will have YOUR face rubbed in it in front of the top law students you want to recruit, in front of the legal media, and in front of your clients. These firms have diversity policies that are a total sham when compared to the Federalist Society agenda and record. We are going to make them eat those polices if they are lying about them or being two-faced.
And when BigLaw feels pain, when it is accused of being unethical, of lying, of playing dishonest games, when it is loudly and publicly shamed for being complicit in the GOP Senate’s racism, sexism and bigotry -— the managing partner will call their BFF, a GOP senator, and say “we have a problem,” “tone it down,” and “fun’s over.”
How will we do this? It’s not hard.
A simple phone call asking the law firm to produce a list of their Federalist Society members. Even the request should set off alarm bells for firm management. Call the law firm, ask for the list, and you could even ask who on that list has played a role in confirming trump judges. If your firm has not played a role, then why haven’t you spoken out?
Another interesting question: Does your firm share Mitch McConnell’s contempt for the American Bar Association’s judicial rating system?
No need to be rude. Just be polite and firm. You want the list. And the trump judges are why. They can provide the list or even better post it on the firm’s website.
Who to call?
Jones Day (202) 879-3939 @JonesDay
Dinsmore & Shohl (202) 372-9100 @Dinsmore_Shohl
Gibson Dunn (202) 955-8500 @GibsonDunn
Latham & Watkins (202) 637-2200 @LathamWatkins
Akin Gump (202) 887-4000 @Akin_Gump
Greenberg Traurig (202) 331-3100 @GT_law
Baker Botts (202) 639-7700 @BakerBotts
Wilmer Hale (202) 663-6000 @WilmerHale
Nixon Peabody (202) 585-8000 @NixonPeabodyLLP
No need to be rude. Just be polite and firm. You want the list. And the trump judges are why.
You don’t need to give your name. Say you’ll call back tomorrow for the information.
You can also or alternatively tweet the firms.
When I tweet the law firms, I attach resumes for one or more of the trump judges, and I add this message: “Federalist Society members have helped Mitch McConnell make a career out of keeping blacks and women off the federal bench.”
And that message will sit there for their employees and clients to read.
Find resumes for some of the worst trump judges at RatfuckingTheCourts.com. Examples below.
RatfuckingTheCourts.com includes a great deal of information on trump judges and the dirty tactics Mitch has used to pack the courts.
Mitch McConnell will never stop on his own. We must encourage him to stop. We must find courage for meaningful activism. If you’re not doing this, I hope you’re doing something.
#RFingTheCourts #WhitewashingTheBench
Mitch’s great prize for next week: