January, 06 2021, 11:00pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Don Owens, dowens@lawyerscommittee.org, c. (202) 934-1880
press@lawyerscommittee.org
WASHINGTON
President-elect Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Kristen Clarke (bio), the president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to be the nation's nineteenth Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice enforces the nation's civil rights laws while ensuring equal justice under law for all Americans. The President-elect will announce the appointment, along with the appointment of his choice for Attorney General at an event in Delaware later today.
The Hon. Shira Scheindlin and Tom Sager, co-chairs of the board of the national Lawyers' Committee, together with Joseph K. West, the vice-chair of the board, released the following statements:
Judge Scheindlin stated that "Kristen Clarke is a force of nature. She has been working tirelessly, around the clock, morning, noon and night to ensure that all Americans share the same rights and privileges as equal members of our society. Without her commitment, past, present and future we would not be confident that this promise would be fulfilled. But with her leadership at the Department of Justice, we can again believe in a just future."
Tom Sager stated that "I cannot think of anyone better qualified to assume the daunting task of ensuring that our nation's civil rights laws are enforced as they were meant to be. She is a woman of great strength and commitment and has never failed to achieve her goals. I am confident she will succeed and the nation will be well served by this historic appointment."
Joseph K. West stated that "I have worked closely with Kristen to advance and protect the rights of all Americans, particularly those who have been traditionally overlooked and disadvantaged. The time has come when everyone will be safe and secure and share equally in the opportunities that all Americans should enjoy. Kristen Clarke is uniquely qualified to ensure those rights. I am so proud to have worked with her at the national Lawyers' Committee and look forward to continuing to do so in her new role."
Clarke's career and leadership have proved that she is committed to seeking truth and justice for all Americans through our system of laws. She formerly served as the head of the Civil Rights Bureau for the New York State Attorney General's Office, spent several years at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and worked at the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. Put simply, when it comes to enforcing and fighting for our nation's civil rights for all, Clarke has consistently been in the arena. Her experience, comportment and focus while at the national Lawyers' Committee has positioned her well to continue leading the fight for our civil rights.
The Lawyers' Committee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar's leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity - work that continues to be vital today.
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According to NBC:
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