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Press Release

LULAC Extremely Disappointed with Supreme Court Nomination
President Bush Misses Historic Opportunity to Nominate the First Latino to our Nation’s Highest Court

October 3, 2005

Contact: Brenda Alvarez, (202) 833-6130

Washington, DC—The National Board of the League of United Latin American Citizens expressed its tremendous disappointment today with President Bush’s decision not to appoint a Latino to the Supreme Court. After years of intense speculation that President Bush would be the first President to end the 216 year shut-out of Latinos on the Supreme Court, his decision to nominate two non-minorities to the court in quick succession is a major let-down for the Hispanic community. Despite having received a record number of Latino votes in his reelection bid less than a year ago, the President has once again ignored the calls from every major Latino leader, both Republican and Democrat, to appoint a Latino. 

“We are tremendously disappointed to be shut out of our nation’s highest court once again,” stated LULAC National President Hector M. Flores. “This appointment has taken all the meaning out of Hispanic Heritage Month and instead reminds us that Latinos are still last on the list when it comes to representation in our nation’s government.” 

While LULAC appreciates that President Bush has appointed many Latinos to his administration including the historic appointments of Alberto Gonzales to the Attorney General’s office and Carlos Gutierrez as Secretary of Commerce, in the end he left Latinos out on the most important appointments of his presidency. His efforts to preserve female representation on the court are commendable, but he could easily have accomplished both objectives by selecting one of the many well-qualified Latinas for the vacancy. 

“The President has broken an implicit promise to the Hispanic community to nominate a Latino to the Supreme Court,” stated Ray Velarde, LULAC legal counsel. “By encouraging intense speculation that he would nominate a Latino to the court if given the chance and then passing on the opportunity not once but twice, he risks angering the nation’s fastest growing electorate.” 

LULAC will examine Harriet Mier’s track record closely and encourage a thorough and vigorous confirmation process. Given her lack of judicial experience, we encourage the White House to be forthcoming with providing documents to Congress that could shed some light on her judicial philosophy, especially with regard to protecting the rights of minority communities. 

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States.  LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

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