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‘The Senate should vote against Judge Alito and the considerable threat he poses to the American value of fairness,’ said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. 

WASHINGTON — Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese made the following statement as today’s Senate Judiciary Committee vote sent to the full Senate the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.

“The Senate should vote against Judge Alito and the considerable threat he poses to the American value of fairness,” said Solmonese. “The eight senators who voted against Judge Alito’s confirmation understand that balance, not extremism, belongs in the court. When it comes to protecting fairness, partisanship can’t be a part of the equation.”

Solmonese added, “A glance at his resume reads like an anti-gay textbook. From striking down a policy that protected gay students from harassment to his view that would threaten Congress’ power to enact non-discrimination laws, he’s the wrong choice for the court. Justice O’Connor’s crucial swing vote should be replaced with moderation and Judge Alito doesn’t fit the bill. As the critical vote in the Senate nears, we should all make our opposition to Judge Alito loud and clear to our leaders in Washington.”

HRC will score the full Senate vote on its 2006 congressional scorecard rating members of Congress on key votes for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. Sens. Joseph Biden, D-Del.; Richard Durbin, D-Ill.; Russell Feingold, D-Wis.; Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.; Herbert Kohl, D-Wis.; Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., voted against Alito’s confirmation.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.