Jewish Groups Underscore Support for Adeel Mangi to Serve as Circuit Court Judge

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, Jewish community leaders and advocates have underscored support for Mr. Adeel Mangi to serve as a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in New Jersey, defending Mr. Mangi’s record and condemning the blatantly Islamophobic lines of questioning and insinuations by Senate Republicans.

Despite unequivocally denouncing any acts of antisemitism or bigotry, Mr. Mangi was subjected to irrelevant, combative lines of questioning by multiple Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans about the Israel-Hamas war and was even asked whether he celebrated the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Defending Mr. Mangi, numerous Jewish organizations representing more than one million Jewish Americans have voiced support for his historic nomination – including the American Jewish Committee, the National Council for Jewish Women, and a coalition of 15 Jewish organizations.

If confirmed, Mr. Mangi would be the first Muslim-American to serve as a federal appellate court judge. He was nominated by President Biden on November 15, had his nomination hearing on December 13, and will be eligible for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee beginning January 18.

Read more below:

Star-Ledger Editorial: GOP to NJ judge pick: Muslims need not apply

By: The Editorial Board of the Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s largest daily newspaper

December 28, 2023

This should have been an historic moment – Adeel Mangi, picked by Joe Biden, would be the highest ranking Muslim judge in American history. His young kids were there for his recent confirmation hearing before the Senate, sporting ties.

But what we got instead was an ugly spectacle, and an insult to New Jersey. Instead of asking about his impressive qualifications or landmark cases, Senate Republicans shouted at and relentlessly interrupted Mangi with irrelevant, salacious questions about Israel, Hamas – even whether he celebrated 9-11.

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These attacks from folks like Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, and Josh Hawley made it clear that Republicans have nothing of substance to use against Mangi, a graduate of Oxford and Harvard Law School endorsed by the major Bar Associations; so they had to reach far and repeat themselves over and over, she noted.

He was clear the first time: He has never heard of any of the commentators on the Middle East that Republicans asked about.

[…]

Now think about the impact this has on other Muslims considering going into public service. Why give up lucrative jobs in the private sector to subject yourself to this spectacle of bullying? That is no doubt exactly what the goal is for McConnell’s shameless crew: To exclude people from the levers of government, by making it intolerable for them to participate.

Anti-Defamation League: ADL Statement on the Mistreatment of Adeel Mangi at Senate Judiciary Hearing

By: The Anti-Defamation League

January 9, 2023

As the leading anti-hate organization in the world, whose mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all,” ADL is compelled to speak out about the inappropriate and prejudicial treatment of Adeel Abdullah Mangi, a nominee for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, during the Judiciary Committee Hearing on December 13, 2023. 

During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Mangi was subjected to aggressive questioning unrelated to his professional expertise or qualifications. Rather, he was forced to provide responses to a wide range of inquiries regarding his views on global strategic considerations in a manner that inappropriately politicized these issues and raised serious questions regarding pretext and bias. 

Just as associating Jewish Americans with certain views or beliefs regarding Israeli government actions would be deemed antisemitic, berating the first American Muslim federal appellate judicial nominee with endless questions that appear to have been motivated by bias towards his religion is profoundly wrong. 

Hate, bias, and bigotry have no place in government, especially in the hallowed halls of Congress. When nominees approach a congressional hearing, their religion, heritage, race, gender, or any other protected identity characteristic should not be a subject for political fodder. 

This was an attempt to create controversy where one did not exist.  

ADL urges leaders to refrain from fueling discrimination and hate – and urges the Senate to offer Mr. Mangi a fair vote, based on his qualifications and fitness for the job.

Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Jewish groups object to GOP’s treatment of Muslim candidate for Court of Appeals seat

By: Ron Kampeas

December 27, 2023

A number of national Jewish groups have come to the defense of a Muslim judicial nominee, saying Republican lawmakers inappropriately grilled him about his views on terrorism, Israel and antisemitism.

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Mangi, who specializes in corporate law and who has successfully litigated a number of civil rights cases, answered that he did not know of the statement or the event; in his capacity from 2019-2023 as a member of the advisory board to the center, his role was to meet once a year to advise on areas of academic inquiry, he said. He condemned terrorism, specifically the Sept. 11 attacks, which he witnessed, and the Oct. 7 Hamas massacres of Israeli civilians. Regarding the statement signed by Aziz, he said Middle East policy was not in his purview as a judicial nominee.

The American Jewish Committee in a Dec. 21 statement called on the Senate to disregard the “untoward implications” in the GOP senators’ line of questioning. A separate Dec. 18 letter spearheaded by the National Council of Jewish Women endorsed Mangi. Both groups have joined Mangi in civil rights-related Supreme Court amicus briefs.

HuffPost: Jewish Groups Line Up In Support Of Biden’s Muslim Court Pick Assailed By GOP

By: Jennifer Bendery

December 19, 2023

Fifteen Jewish organizations on Tuesday pledged their “strong support” for President Joe Biden’s historic Muslim court pick Adeel Mangi ? days after Republican senators subjected him to hostile and Islamophobic questioning in his confirmation hearing.

“Having ethical and unbiased judges is ingrained in our Jewish teachings in which we are taught that ‘judges need to be people of strength through good deeds,’” reads the groups’ letter to all 100 senators, obtained by HuffPost. “It is clear to us that Adeel A. Mangi is a person of strength and good deeds, as evidenced by his career, devotion to his community, and commitment to religious freedom and civil rights.”

The letter hails Mangi’s legal record and highlights numerous amicus briefs he has filed in federal courts, including the Supreme Court, on behalf of religious communities relating to LGBTQ rights, unlawful surveillance of religious communities and the repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

[…]

Law360: Jewish And Muslim Groups Stand By 3rd Circuit Nominee

By: Courtney Bublé

December 22, 2023

Jewish and Muslim groups have been rallying to support the nomination of Adeel Mangi to the Third Circuit, who would be the first Muslim federal appeals court judge if confirmed, following "unnecessary and unhelpful" questions by Republican senators during his confirmation hearing last week.

Mangi, a partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, in addition to other judicial nominees, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee Dec. 13. As Law360 previously reported, he has a record of civil rights victories and high-stakes litigation.

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Jody Rabhan, chief policy officer for the National Council of Jewish Women, which led the letter, told Law360 Friday that her organization was already supporting Mangi before the hearing and was "incredibly disturbed" by the questions during it.

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