Goodwin Liu Earns Another Judicial Nomination

photo: Laura Morton / LA Times

Some of you may remember UC Berkeley law professor and civil rights advocate Goodwin Liu’s nomination to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit back in May. Although he had the backing of many APIA community groups and individuals, those meddlin’ Repubes in the Senate blocked the nomination (with a number of racially charged comments, such as Sen. Grassley’s outlandish claim that Liu wants to turn American into “communist-run China”).

Well today, CA governor Jerry Brown nominated Liu to the California Supreme Court. Gov. Brown has already forwarded Liu’s name to the State Bar’s Commission of Judicial Nominees Evaluation, but the appointment won’t become final until the Commission on Judicial Appointments confirms the nomination. Organizations such as Chinese for Affirmative Action will be keeping a close eye on the process to make sure there won’t be a repeat of the first time around. Let’s hope Goodwin becomes “Judge Liu” before long!

Help Confirm Goodwin Liu to Court of Appeals

Tomorrow the United States Senate will vote on whether or not to confirm Goodwin Liu to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

The Ninth Circuit is the appeals court for nine Western states, including California, Washington, Oregon, Hawai’i, and Arizona.  More than 40 % of all Asians living in America live in these nine states.  In the coming years, the Ninth Circuit will weigh in on several issues vital to the APIA community, such as immigration and civil rights.

However, there is currently not a single Asian American sitting as an active judge on the Ninth Circuit, and only one Asian American judge actively serving on the Court of Appeals for the entire nation (Denny Chin).

The Senate can begin to address this problem by confirming UC Berkeley Law Professor Goodwin Liu to a vacancy on the Ninth Circuit. Goodwin Liu is the son of immigrants who came to the United States in the ’60s, a graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School, a Rhodes Scholar and former Supreme Court clerk, and an expert and teacher on constitutional law and education policy.

Goodwin also has support from a wide array of community groups, editorial boards, and leaders from across the political spectrum, including the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), and the American Bar Association, which gave Liu its highest possible rating for judicial nominees.

Apparently, right-wing opponents have used obstruction tactics to deny Liu a confirmation vote since he was nominated by President Obama over a year ago.

You can help end this foolery by taking a moment to send a letter urging your Senator to confirm Liu. It seriously takes like two seconds, and you can have a hand in a confirmation that will increase representation and political power for our communities.

Thanks Eva!

source: press release from Chinese for Affirmative Action