WASHINGTON ― A Black former U.S. appeals court judge appointed by President George W. Bush privately reached out to Senate leaders this month to urge them to confirm President Joe Biden’s Muslim judicial pick Adeel Mangi, saying he is “deeply disturbed” by the GOP’s ugly and baseless attacks on him.
In a letter obtained by HuffPost and sent last week to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), former federal judge Timothy Lewis said he felt compelled to reach out because of how badly Mangi has been treated in his confirmation process compared to what Lewis experienced in his.
“I have been deeply disturbed by the unfounded and disturbing attacks against Adeel Mangi, and I strongly support his nomination,” said Lewis.
“This is a nominee who should — and ordinarily would — have widespread bipartisan support,” he said. “Instead, he is being subjected to attacks against his character. His accusers claim he supports terrorism and is anti-Semitic. Those allegations are absolutely unfounded.”
The letter comes as Democratic support for Mangi — who would be the first-ever Muslim appeals court judge if confirmed — appears to be shaky amid a wave of misleading and Islamophobic attacks from Republicans.
Some Senate Democratic aides told HuffPost on Friday they weren’t sure if he had the votes to get confirmed.
“I think it will be very tough at this point,” one aide, who requested anonymity to speak frankly about intra-party disputes, conceded.
Lewis was a judge for seven years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, the same court to which Mangi has been nominated. Like Mangi, he was a judicial nominee in a presidential election year, in 1992. And like Mangi, he was a historic pick. He was one of two Black judges nominated to an appeals court by Bush. The other was then-D.C. Circuit nominee Clarence Thomas.
Mangi is a 23-year civil litigator based in New Jersey. He was unanimously rated…
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