(Washington, DC, April 24, 2018) – Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Kyle Duncan for a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit by a vote of 50 to 47. Lambda Legal CEO Rachel B. Tiven issued the following statement following today’s vote:

“Lambda Legal very quickly identified Kyle Duncan as one of President Trump’s worst nominees. His clear and abundant record opposing voting rights, women’s right to access contraception, and civil rights for the LGBT community singled him out in a very crowded field. We moved quickly to unite a coalition to oppose Duncan’s confirmation, a coalition including several Members of Congress, leaders from all the nation’s major civil rights organizations, dozens of national, state and local LGBT organizations and Americans who have suffered directly at the hands of Duncan’s discriminatory attacks.

“Kyle Duncan has made a career for himself targeting LGBT children and families,” Tiven added. “The idea that Mr. Duncan will cast aside his bigoted beliefs overnight, and miraculously transform into an impartial judge, is ludicrous and reckless. His career has been one long grudge match against women and LGBT Americans – now the Trump/Pence Administration is making him a referee.

“No one with Kyle Duncan’s record of bias should ever serve as a judge. We will be watching Mr. Duncan’s decisions, and making sure all Americans know what their Senators voted for in confirming him. This vote will not be forgotten, nor will those who continue to help this administration rig our legal system. Lambda Legal will keep fighting for equality in court, because the law is on our side.”

Lambda Legal remains committed to defending our federal courts from judicial activists and ideologues determined to reshape the laws of our country and turn back the clock on equality. From the Supreme Court down to the district level, Lambda Legal will continue to ensure that the U.S. Senate confirms fair-minded judges who understand “equality under the law” protects LGBT litigants, including the 700,000 LGBT people living in the Fifth Circuit states of Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.