Senator Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the following statement after the Senate rejected President Obama’s pick to run the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. Among other concerns, the nominee was involved in representing and advocating for Mumia Abu-Jamal, the notorious cop-killer who gunned down Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner. Grassley’s full statement on the nominee can be found here.
“The Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department has been rife with problems and needs an effective and fair leader who can bridge the gap between all communities. Today’s broad bipartisan opposition to the nominee based on his involvement in the Mumia Abu-Jamal case some 25 years after his conviction and sentence, among a host of other political causes, makes it clear that Mr. Adegbile was not the right pick for this important post.
“President Obama’s nomination of Mr. Adegbile to this position was a slap in the face to law enforcement personnel across the country, and in particular the family of Danny Faulkner. In the end, it’s difficult to see how he could separate the type of blind advocacy he made for Abu Jamal from the important work to be done at the Civil Rights Division.
“This is an opportunity for members of the Senate to pause and consider the full ramifications of the nuclear option. Even though it’s likely to produce more controversial nominees, a 50 vote threshold cannot guarantee the desired result.”