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ALIGN’s Executive Director Maritza Silva-Farrell issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court:

“The courts are supposed to be the independent branch of government that provide equal justice to all, upholding fairness, dignity, freedom, and democracy. Yet the Supreme Court’s recent decisions have rejected these values and protected the privileged and powerful few at the expense of millions of working people.

“Now, with his nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the highest court in the land, President Trump aims to pack the court with justices who will continue to side with corporations and the wealthy over ordinary Americans in case after case. ALIGN will unite with a broad array of civil society groups across New York to stop this disastrous nomination from moving forward in the Senate.

“Judge Kavanaugh’s previous rulings raise grave concerns about his potential for eroding our freedom to join together in strong unions and set family-sustaining standards for our safety, benefits, and pay. His confirmation would further risk the court bludgeoning our ability to vote freely and participate in our democracy, plan and make healthcare decisions for ourselves and our families, breathe clean air and drink clean water.

“On the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Kavanaugh routinely ruled against working families, rejecting the right of women and men to receive employer-provided health care in the workplace. He sided with employers to deny employees relief from workplace discrimination and promoted overturning well-established U.S. Supreme Court precedent. In addition, Kavanaugh’s opinions provide evidence that he will align with the administration to gut the Affordable Care Act, allowing profitable health insurance companies to discriminate against millions of people with pre-existing conditions.

“Kavanaugh could negatively shape New Yorkers’ lives and livelihoods for years to come: in the workplace and retirement, at the doctor’s office, throughout our lakes and streams, on the internet, and in the voting booth. We stand vehemently opposed to such a future. We won’t let the rich and powerful dictate the American story for the next generation. We urge Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to reject his nomination.”