With the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18th, Hershey Indivisible Team is taking the opportunity to inform our members on the court system, the nomination process, and the impact of Justice Ginsburg’s passing on important issues.
We have invited Kadida Kenner of Why Courts Matter – PA (WCM-PA) to speak on the following:
The judicial nomination/confirmation process
The newest nomination for SCOTUS (Amy Coney Barrett)
Current happenings on federal benches in Pennsylvania
Lessons learned from recent fights for our federal courts and record obstruction
Strategies/Calls to Action that make a difference online and on-the- ground
Why does it matter?
According to WCM – PA: “The Trump Administration has promised that judicial nominees would be “in the mold” of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a far-right ideologue who helped make the Roberts Court the most pro-corporate court in modern times. With the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the possibility of Justice Clarence Thomas retiring, the Trump Administration could fill two more vacancies on the Supreme Court. The newest Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch were among the dozens of individuals handpicked by the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation. The nomination of Amy Coney Barrett and any future nominees would vote to uphold Trump’s radical policies and strip away protections from people with preexisting conditions, and certainly threatens the Roe v. Wade decision.”
About Ms. Kenner:
A West Chester, PA native and Temple University graduate, Kadida Kenner was most recently a writer, producer, and director for college sports television programming in Charlotte, NC. Energized by the 2016 elections, she decided to take a hiatus from TV production, and return to campaign work as a field and digital organizer for the North Carolina Democratic Party’s coordinated campaign. Following the elections, Kadida moved back to Pennsylvania and currently lives in Harrisburg while working as the director of campaigns for the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, with one of those campaigns being Why Courts Matter – Pennsylvania (WCM-PA).
About Why Courts Matter – PA
Why Courts Matter – PA (WCM-PA) is a non-partisan, non-profit (c)(3) organization and coalition of more than 40 organizational partners, representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians, who work together to educate the public about the importance of filling federal court vacancies with fair, independent, qualified judges of diverse personal and professional backgrounds. No matter what issues you care about, the federal courts play a major role in shaping law and policy on these issues. The federal courts, from the district courts on up to the Supreme Court, often play an even larger role on what kind of country we live in than elected representatives or the executive branch.
Our courts must be the first line of defense against the current administration’s agenda—and a centerpiece of the resistance. From direct challenges to policies like the Muslim ban to protecting the rights of workers, women, people of color, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ communities and more, the future of the federal judiciary is essential. Trump already confirmed two Supreme Court justices and has filled the federal courts with a record number of judges since his 2017 Inauguration (more than 200).
