Message to the Senate: No Confirmation Until Inauguration

WASHINGTON—Today, nine days after U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away, before her body is laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, President Trump has announced his nomination for her replacement: Judge Amy Coney Barrett. This announcement comes as voters in nine states and Americans abroad have already begun to cast their ballots. Before the Senate even begins to consider this nominee in the first week of October, 42 states will have mailed ballots to voters and 17 states will have launched in-person early voting.

“Justice Ginsburg was small in stature and stood as a giant in defense of the rights of LGBTQ+ people. For President Trump to dishonor her memory by rushing through a nomination before she is even laid to rest is unconscionable. It is even worse to do so while the election is already underway,” said Brian K. Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National. “The votes and voice of the people should be heard before any nominee is considered.”

Bond continued, “In the middle of a pandemic, when more than 7 million people in this country have contracted COVID-19—and right when the White House threatens to refuse Medicare payments to hospitals—the administration should be focused on the pandemic. Now is the time to support states and local communities, to pass economic relief for families, and so much more, not to rush a Supreme Court nomination.”

In the months leading up to the election, PFLAG National, the nation’s largest and oldest organization supporting parents, families, and allies of the LGBTQ+ community, has activated its 400+ chapters across the United States to engage their communities to vote. Emphasizing voter registration, education, mobilization, and protection, PFLAGers are working to ensure everyone who wants to vote has the opportunity to do so via PFLAG’s PFLAG Votes 2020 program.

Said Bond, “Speaking as a gay man, an HIV+ person, and a Catholic, the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a defender of discrimination in the name of religion, is a direct threat to the rights of LGBTQ+ people like me and to many of the people that I love. To ensure the voices of We the People are heard—even as we cast our ballots and play our part in this important decision—PFLAGers everywhere call on our Senators not to consider a nominee until after Inauguration Day.”

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ABOUT PFLAG NATIONAL
PFLAG National is the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies. With over 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America, PFLAG is committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed. To learn more, visit pflag.org, like us on Facebook (/pflag), or follow us on Twitter (@pflag) or Instagram.