Trump judicial nominee Lawrence VanDyke, who was given a ‘Not Qualified’ rating by the American Bar Association (ABA), cries at a hearing after being confronted on his views toward the LGBTQ community pic.twitter.com/yCDTcblOVM

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 30, 2019

A Trump administration federal judge nominee openly wept at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing after being confronted with an American Bar Association letter that recommended he not be confirmed because of his alleged incompetence and homophobia.

As reported by Reuters and others, nominee Lawrence VanDyke quickly lost composure after being questioned about the ABA letter by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO).

VanDyke, who is the former solicitor general of Montana and Nevada, has become a controversial pick after the American Bar Association published its damning letter Tuesday, on the eve of VanDyke’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Based on 6o interviews with VanDyke’s colleagues and judges who have interacted with him, the ABA said if found “strong evidence” arguing against appointing VanDyke to a federal judgeship.

Concluding that VanDyke was “arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge of the day-to- day practice including procedural rules,” the ABA also noted that “Mr. VanDyke would not say affirmatively that he would be fair to any litigant before him, notably members of the LGBTQ community.”

“Did you say that you wouldn’t be fair to members of the LGBTQ community?” Hawley asked, citing that passage from the letter during the hearing, while slightly altering the ABA’s language.

“Senator, I — that was, that was the part of the letter…” VanDyke began, before pausing for several seconds, breathing heavily, and shaking his head.

“I did not say that,” VanDyke insisted, as he began crying. He then paused for several more seconds, exhaled deeply again, and leaned back in his chair. “I apologize.”

“No I did not say that, I do not believe that,” he continued, while openly weeping. “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, Senator.” VanDyke then pledged to treat every litigant fairly, including members of the LGBTQ community.

It’s not clear that the ABA’s letter will have much of an impact on VanDyke’s prospects of confirmation. Last week, Senate Republicans pushed though on a party-line vote the confirmation of a 37-year-old law professor with zero trial experience to a lifetime federal judgeship, despite the ABA rating him “not qualified” as well.

from Mediaite https://ift.tt/34qMafV