Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte’s Statement on Recent US Supreme Court Rulings, the Trump Administration's Reversal of Affirmative Action Policies, and the Kavanaugh Nomination
Washington, DC – Recently, there have been many reports coming from Washington D.C. including two hallmark Supreme Court rulings on the travel ban and Public Employees Unions, the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, the reversal of Obama-era Affirmative Action programs on college campuses, and the nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to our nation's highest court.Â
Shortly after news broke of the Supreme Court's rulings, Brett M. Kavanaugh's nomination, and the reversal of the Obama Administration's approach to Affirmative Action, Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte released the following statements:
Statement on Supreme Court's Decision to Uphold "Travel Ban":
"The Supreme Court's decision to uphold President Donald J Trump's odious 'Travel Ban' is a victory for bigotry, xenophobia, and the reactionary forces gripping our nation.
Let us be clear here, the administration's 'Travel Ban' is nothing more than a thinly disguised attempt to bar people from our country based on their faith. Targeting individuals based on how and who they pray is a betrayal of the hard-won freedoms of the Civil Rights movement.
As we absorb the unfortunate news, we must also remember that the decision by this Supreme Court was made possible in large part by the unprecedented efforts of Republicans in Congress to hijack a seat on the court during the last year of Barack Obama's Presidency.
Our nation's highest court has made the wrong decision before as it did in the Dredd Scott case of 1857, which ruled that "a negro, whose ancestors were imported into [the U.S.], and sold as slaves," whether enslaved or free, could not be an American citizen and therefore did not have the standing to sue in federal court.[1] In 1898, the Court issued a decision on Plessy vs Ferguson effectively legalizing segregation.[2] As we look forward, it is worth remembering that our nation overcame these lapses in judgement as well.
I stand against the racism and clear anti-Muslim intent of President Trump's 'Travel Ban'. All peoples regardless of their faith, race, or origin should be welcomed to this country."
Statement on Janus vs. AFSCME Case:
"The Supreme Courts' ruling on the Janus vs AFSCME case is yet another fusillade in the ongoing attack against working class Americans.Â
The decision, coming after the ruling to uphold Donald Trump's so-called "Travel Ban", served as another reminder of the far right ideology gripping our nation's highest court.Â
I stand with working class people of all stripes and I promise that unions will always have an advocate in me in Albany.Â
There is no denying that these recent decisions by the Supreme Court are disappointing, but I believe that now is not the time for despair, now is the moment to relentlessly fight for our rights."
Statement on President Donald Trump's Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh:
"The nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh threatens to permanently shift the culture of the nation's highest court to the right.
Supreme Court nominee, Brett M. Kavanaugh, will place Roe vs. Wade, the Affordable Care Act, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in jeopardy. Communities of Color, the LGBTQ community, religious minorities, and women could all face the potential stripping away of laws under an ultra-conservative and biased judicial system that will turn back the clock on civil liberties and human rights.
Mr. Kavanaugh will also be an ally to the zealous pro-gun positions of the National Rifle Association. In his current job as a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, he staked out an unusually strong stand in favor of what the 2nd Amendment means, writing in favor of broad gun rights.
He argued that the right to bear arms outlined in the 2nd Amendment should be interpreted like the right to freedom of speech laid out in the 1st Amendment, with only narrow set of circumstances in which a state can limit an individual's right.
Clearly, given the long-lasting and profound impact, Mr. Kavanaugh could have upon the court, we must wait until a new Senate is elected in November by the American people."
Statement on Reversal of Obama-Era Affirmative Action Policy
"President Donald Trump's decision to reverse the Obama Administration's policy on Affirmative Action for colleges and universities is a direct attack on communities of color.Â
It is clear that this administration will use every tool at its disposal to dispossess minorities and women of any progress they have made.
In the face of such an onslaught against equality we must stand tall. I will work twice as hard in Albany to ensure that my constituents and all New Yorkers do not see their equality evaporate."
Latest articles on these topics:
Reversal of Affirmative Action Policies of the Obama Administration
Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh
US Supreme Court's Decision on "Travel Ban"
US Supreme Court's Decision on Janus v. AFSCME
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