AAMIA Responds to Miers Nomination

Today, Reverend Tim McDonald, chair of the African American Ministers in Action raised concerns about President Bush’s nomination of his friend and personal lawyer Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. "Miers has an extremely sparse record, but an acceptable legal background. We are concerned this nomination could be the result of cronyism and in the past month we've seen the harm this philosophy has done, most notably in New Orleans," said Rev. McDonald. "Miers' nomination comes while America is still dealing with the failures in New Orleans of former FEMA director Michael Brown, who was severely unqualified for the position, which he got through cronyism and loyalty."

Before coming to the White House as the staff secretary in 2001, Miers served as the president of the Texas Bar Association and the Dallas Bar Association. Additionally, she served as chairwoman of the Texas Lottery Commission. She also worked as President Bush’s private lawyer, a job which raises red flags about her qualifications for the position. The Bush administration is attempting to set a new standard for appointments and nominations – loyalists to the White House with a scant paper trial, said McDonald.

"We still have a lot to learn about Harriet Miers in the coming weeks, and so we are proceeding with caution and withholding judgment about her suitability as a justice on the Supreme Court. Before we can make a determination of her fitness for the Court, we simply must know more," said Rev. McDonald. "Will she be an advocate to uphold seven decades of social justice gains and fundamental liberties that most Americans take for granted or will she promote a right-wing agenda with Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas?"

For more information on Supreme Court nominations see SaveTheCourt.org