Building a legal system that works for the people, not the corporations or the carceral state, requires doing things a little differently. It means that we have to take on the hard fights, and push for better at every opportunity, even when it would be easier to stay on the sidelines.
This week, we saw what can happen when organizers take on those hard fights. Thanks to the hard work of organizers and activists, we had two big wins in the work to build a legal system that works for working people.
On the federal level, Michael Delaney had been nominated to the First Circuit, despite an incredibly troubling record on both sexual assault issues and matters related to corporate power. At the state level, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont had nominated Sandra Glover to the Supreme Court; if confirmed, she would have been the fourth former prosecutor to join the seven-member court.
In both cases, we organized, advocated, and ultimately won. Both Michael Delaney and Sandra Glover have withdrawn their nominations, and President Biden and Governor Lamont now have the chance to nominate true champions for the people to these seats.
It wasn’t easy. As David Dayen at The American Prospect noted, PPP is often the only group focused on the courts that is willing to speak out against nominees who don’t have a track record of being on the side of the people. But we’re taking on these hard fights because they matter. Every judge and every justice makes a difference in the lives of real people, and that’s why we refuse to settle for less than the people deserve.
If you want to join the fight to build courts that work for working people, there’s no better day than today. Schedule a coffee chat with our Organizing & Network Director, Steve Kennedy, to find out how you can get involved, or email us at hello@peoplesparity.org to learn more. If you’re in a position to support this work financially, please consider making a donation to grow the movement of lawyers and law students organizing to unf*ck the law. And if you haven’t already, register to join us in D.C. this summer for our annual convening, featuring keynote speaker Madiba Dennie!
We’re grateful to be doing this work with all of you.