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WASHINGTON (AP) — The nominee who could go nan first Muslim American to service arsenic a national appellate tribunal judge is fighting backmost against characterizations of his activity by rule enforcement groups that are jeopardizing his nomination. The White House and Senate are doubling down connected their efforts to triumph complete lawmakers connected nan fence, but it whitethorn beryllium excessively late.
Adeel Mangi received rule degrees from Oxford and Harvard. He useful successful a prestigious rule patient and has secured important ineligible victories. But his constricted unpaid activity pinch 2 extracurricular groups has imperiled his nomination.
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Some rule enforcement groups person told lawmakers that Mangi's activity arsenic an advisory committee personnel for nan Alliance of Families for Justice is disqualifying. That's peeling disconnected support — not only from cardinal Democrats but from immoderate Republicans who person been astatine times consenting to support President Joe Biden's judicial nominees.
Gavels and rule books are shown, July 14, 2010, successful San Francisco, Calif. Adeel Mangi, nan nominee who could go nan first Muslim American to service arsenic a national appellate tribunal judge, is fighting backmost against characterizations of his activity by rule enforcement groups that person jeopardized his nomination. The White House and Senate are doubling down connected their efforts to triumph complete lawmakers connected nan fence, but it whitethorn beryllium excessively late. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Mangi has taken nan different measurement of penning his location authorities legislator to explicate his activity pinch nan alliance. To antagonistic nan constabulary groups successful opposition, he and nan White House are emphasizing that different rule enforcement groups backmost him. The strength of nan conflict underscores nan precocious stakes arsenic Biden and Democrats strive to style nan constitution of nan national judiciary while they person power of nan White House and Senate.
The Alliance of Families for Justice provides ineligible assistance for group successful situation and resources for their families, including counseling. Law enforcement groups person highlighted that Kathy Boudin served arsenic a committee personnel for nan group aft serving much than 2 decades down bars for her domiciled successful a fatal 1981 armored motortruck robbery.
The robbery resulted successful nan sidesplitting of a information defender and 2 constabulary officers. During her clip successful prison, Boudin expressed remorse and worked to thief inmates pinch AIDS. She besides developed a programme connected parenting down bars. She continued efforts to thief nan incarcerated and their families aft her parole. Law enforcement groups successful New York were incensed astatine her merchandise and nan state's politician astatine nan clip voiced his opposition.
The National Association of Police Organizations said Mangi's activity pinch nan group "shows an anti-victim and anti-police bias that would surely unreality his decision-making arsenic a judge." The National Sheriffs' Association besides voiced "united opposition" to his nomination.
Three Democrats person travel retired against Mangi’s confirmation: Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, some of Nevada. The Nevada senators specifically cited rule enforcement guidance successful their reasoning. Their stance intends Mangi will almost surely request nan support of immoderate Republicans to beryllium confirmed, and location are scant signs of specified support.
Democrats aren't giving up. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said "there are conversations going connected on some sides of nan aisle" astir nan nomination.
Mangi forcefully denied that he has an anti-police bias successful nan missive he wrote Booker, saying "any proposal that I person sympathy for attacks connected rule enforcement is shocking and false." He said nan advisory committee he was invited to service connected astatine nan Alliance of Families for Justice has ne'er moreover met.
He was invited to service connected that committee based connected his starring a pro bono suit related to nan decease of a mentally ill, achromatic inmate astatine Sullivan Correctional Facility successful New York. That suit led to a historical colony that included a request for cameras and microphones passim nan prison, which he said accrued information for corrections officers. He said he did not litigate immoderate much cases based connected referrals from nan group.
He besides made clear nan defense group has an wholly abstracted committee of board responsible for oversight and governance. He ne'er had immoderate domiciled pinch nan governing board. As to Boudin, he does not callback gathering her, and to nan grade location was a fellowship successful her name, he was not involved.
Mangi noted that immoderate rule enforcement groups are backing him, including nan Hispanic American Law Enforcement Association and nan Muslim American Law Enforcement Association. The International Law Enforcement Officers Association urged nan Senate to swiftly corroborate Mangi, saying "his grounds intelligibly demonstrates his respect for nan norm of rule and nan captious domiciled of rule enforcement successful promoting nationalist safety."
In caller days, elder White House officials, including main of unit Jeff Zients, person sought to rescue Mangi’s nomination. They've called senators to accent his ineligible credentials and to decry what nan management characterizes arsenic smears.
"Some Senate Republicans and their utmost friends are relentlessly smearing Adeel Mangi pinch baseless accusations that he is anti-police," Zients said. "That could not beryllium further from nan truth and nan adjacent to a twelve rule enforcement organizations that person endorsed him agree. The Senate must corroborate Mr. Mangi without further delay."
Mangi's information has besides generated disapproval from immoderate Jewish groups, who are highlighting his past affiliation pinch nan Center for Security, Race and Rights astatine Rutgers University. The halfway engages successful investigation and acquisition connected policies that adversely effect America’s Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities.
Mangi served connected an advisory committee for astir 4 years until mid-2023. He said his activity was constricted to participating successful 4 meetings complete 4 years that were focused connected world research.
Republicans person looked to subordinate him pinch remarks from others astatine nan halfway that they position arsenic antisemitic. He was asked astir galore speakers nan halfway has hosted and whether he agreed pinch their statements.
Mangi said he should not beryllium held accountable for statements made by others astatine events he was unaware of until senators brought it up astatine his confirmation hearing.
The Anti-Defamation League has defended Mangi, saying he was subjected to fierce questioning unrelated to his master expertise. The ADL is considered a leader successful efforts to conflict antisemitism.
"Just arsenic associating Jewish American pinch definite views aliases beliefs regarding Israeli authorities actions would beryllium deemed antisemitic, berating nan first American Muslim national appellate judicial nominee pinch endless questions that look to person been motivated by bias toward his belief is profoundly wrong," nan ADL said successful a statement.
The Senate Judiciary Committee precocious Mangi's information successful January connected a party-line ballot of 11-10. But he has intelligibly mislaid crushed since then. Supporters opportunity he has been treated unfairly because of his faith.
"Based connected his record, you would deliberation Mr. Mangi would beryllium quickly confirmed, but I near disconnected 1 truth connected his resume. He is simply a Muslim American," Sen. Dick Durbin, nan president of nan Senate Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday. "The curen of this nominee earlier nan Senate Judiciary Committee has reached a caller debased successful galore ways."
Republican leader Mitch McConnell has been dogged successful his guidance to Mangi, and has many times spoken successful guidance to him connected nan Senate floor. On Tuesday, he noted Mangi's "almost unprecedented step" of penning to Booker to "disclaim immoderate existent knowledge of an statement connected whose advisory committee he sits."
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"There are only 2 explanations: either Mr. Mangi is truthful sloppy that he many times neglected to behaviour nan simplest owed diligence earlier joining advisory boards of extremist groups, aliases he joined these groups intentionally.
"Either 1 makes him unfit for this life appointment," McConnell said.
