Schumer, Gillibrand Denounce Menashi Nomination To New York 2nd Circuit, Cite Long, Disturbing Record

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today released the following statement opposing Steven Menashi’s nomination to the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. The Senators express deep concern with Menashi’s long, disturbing record—including his central role in executing Secretary of Education Betsy Devos’s crusade to hinder sexual assault victims seeking justice, fund schools brazenly discriminatory to LGBTQ students, and weaken critical protections for defrauded student borrowers—and his open hostility to commonsense gun safety and bedrock civil rights legislation.

Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s statement, denouncing Steven Menashi’s nomination to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, can be found below:

“It is clear from Steven Menashi’s long, disturbing record that he is the wrong candidate to serve on the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. As the top lawyer at the Department of Education, he played a critical role in executing Secretary DeVos’s agenda to make it harder for campus sexual assault victims to seek justice, provide federal funding to schools that discriminate against LGBTQ students, roll back civil rights investigations, and undermine critical protections for student borrowers who were defrauded by their institutions.

“In addition, he has expressed hostility to commonsense gun safety legislation and foundational civil rights legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. His views are far outside the judicial mainstream and completely out of step with the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers. His confirmation to the federal judiciary would threaten the rights of millions of Americans, and we strongly urge our colleagues to oppose the Menashi nomination.” 

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