The Borking of Lawrence VanDyke

The Borking of Lawrence VanDyke

Written by Laurie Higgins

It looks like yet another judicial nominee is being Borked by unscrupulous Democrats who may have an unconstitutional religious test for holding office.

Lawrence VanDyke, Harvard Law School graduate, former solicitor general of Montana and Nevada, and evangelical Christian, has been nominated to the largest, wildly liberal, and controversial 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Despite his stellar academic and professional background, a majority of the 15 members of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary sent a shocking letter to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee stating that

“a substantial majority of the Committee has determined that Mr. VanDyke is ‘Not Qualified,’ and a minority determined that he is ‘Qualified’ to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.”

The letter continues:

“Mr. VanDyke’s accomplishments are offset by the assessments of interviewees that Mr. VanDyke is arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge of the day-today practice including procedural rules. There was a theme that the nominee lacks humility, has an ‘entitlement’ temperament, does not have an open mind, and does not always have a commitment to being candid and truthful. Some interviewees raised concerns about whether Mr. VanDyke would be fair to persons who are gay, lesbian, or otherwise part of the LGBTQ community. Mr. VanDyke would not say affirmatively that he would be fair to any litigant before him, notably members of the LGBTQ community.”

John McCormack writing for National Review asks, “Were VanDyke’s comments to the ABA twisted or taken wildly out of context in order to paint him as a bigot? It is hard to believe any judicial nominee would suggest during an interview with the ABA that he might not be ‘fair’ to all litigants.”

When asked by U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), “Did you say that you wouldn’t be fair to members of the LGBTQ community,” VanDyke responded, “I did not say that. I do not believe that. It is a fundamental belief of mine that all people are created in the image of God and they should all be treated with dignity and respect.”

Democrats have proven time and again that they couldn’t care less if they destroy the reputations of and emotionally devastate the families of good people who stand in the way of their pernicious cultural ends.

Someone needs to ask those members of the ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary who deem VanDyke unqualified if they think any Christian who holds theologically orthodox views on sexuality, marriage, or cross-dressing could be deemed “Qualified” to serve on any court. Come to think of it, every Democrat serving in Congress should be asked if they think men and women who hold theologically orthodox views on sexuality should be able to serve as judges or members of Congress. If the answer is no, they will have proved themselves unfit for elected office in that they hold the unconstitutional belief in having religious tests for holding office.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email or a fax to U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to ask them to stop the bigotry against evangelical Christian judicial nominees. Tell them simply: Lawrence VanDyke should be confirmed, not discriminated against.