Over 100 organizations expressed support for President Biden’s judicial nominee, Adeel Mangi, and condemned “baseless attacks” against him.
In a letter sent Tuesday, 125 national, state and local organizations urged senators to confirm Mangi to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Mr. Mangi is fair-minded, brilliant, and has shown throughout his impressive legal career a steadfast dedication to equal justice for all, and he will be a tremendous judge on the Third Circuit,” the letter reads.
The letter features support from national organizations like AFL-CIO and Center for American Progress to state and local organizations like Make the Road Nevada and Courts Matter Illinois.
If confirmed, Mangi would be the first Muslim American judge to serve on the federal appeals court. His path to the judicial bench has been met with intense scrutiny and dwindling support in the upper chamber.
Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) oppose Mangi’s nomination. Last week, Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who is running for reelection, also came out against voting for Mangi.
Mangi’s appointment was scrutinized by several Republican senators, who questioned his views on Hamas’s attack on Israel and his connection to Rutgers University’s Center for Security, Race and Rights.
“Despite the anti-Muslim vitriol Mr. Mangi endured during his confirmation hearing, he repeatedly while under oath condemned antisemitism and terrorism with tremendous decorum and professionalism befitting the temperament sought for these important appointments to the federal bench,” the organizations said in the letter.
“He did so despite facing unfair, unfounded, and hostile questions, many of which were deeply offensive. Further, since his hearing, there has been a coordinated media campaign to amplify baseless attacks on his character.”
The White House has denounced the scrutiny Mangi has faced and has intensified efforts to get him confirmed in the Democratic-led Senate.
The White House touted several law enforcement endorsements last week, the same day Rosen came out against Biden’s pick, NBC News reported.
Democrats have a 51-49 majority in the Senate, but with at least three Democrats coming out against Mangi, the lawyer would need support from Senate Republicans to get confirmed on the bench.
Biden nominated Mangi in November.
“Mr. Mangi is eminently qualified and will be a fair-minded judge,” the organizations said. “No one should tolerate baseless and bigoted attacks and lies that are being created by an orchestrated campaign to take down the first Muslim federal appellate judge.”