The Biden administration is making concerted efforts to secure the confirmation of Adeel Mangi, a judicial nominee for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, whose nomination is currently under scrutiny due to his affiliations with several contentious left-wing organizations.
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, White House Counsel Ed Siskel, and White House Director of Legislative Affairs Shuwanza Goff are reportedly lobbying senators to support Mangi's nomination, according to Politico.
Mangi's controversial affiliations include his advisory board position at the Rutgers Law School Center for Security, Race, and Rights, a think tank that has previously attributed blame to Israel for the Hamas attack last year. The think tank also hosted Sami al-Arian, a known financier of terrorism, at an event commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Furthermore, Mangi is a member of the advisory board of the Alliance of Families for Justice, a nonprofit organization advocating for the parole of six black nationalists incarcerated for the murder of police officers, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon. The organization has referred to these convicts, including Mumia Abu-Jamal, a figure championed by the left, as "freedom fighters" who were unjustly targeted by the FBI.
Notably, Kathy Boudin, a founding board member of the Alliance of Families for Justice and a member of the terrorist group Weather Underground, was convicted for the murder of two police officers during an armored truck robbery in 1981. Mangi, currently working in private practice, was also a director of the Legal Aid Society, which has advocated for defunding the police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Despite the controversy surrounding Mangi's nomination, the White House has staunchly defended him, accusing Republicans of "Islamophobia" for opposing the first Muslim nominee for the federal appeals court. White House officials have stated that President Joe Biden remains "extremely proud" of nominating Mangi.
However, the White House's lobbying efforts may face resistance from Democrats in swing states, such as Senators Bob Casey (Pa.), Jon Tester (Mont.), and Sherrod Brown (Ohio), who are facing increasing pressure to vote against Mangi. The conservative Judicial Crisis Network has initiated an ad campaign urging these senators, all up for reelection this year, to oppose Mangi's nomination.
The vote holds particular significance for Senator Casey, who is currently in a tight race with presumptive Republican nominee Dave McCormick. If confirmed, Mangi would have jurisdiction over federal cases in Pennsylvania, making his record of paramount importance to voters in the Keystone State. McCormick has urged Casey to vote against Mangi, citing Casey's previous vote against Obama Justice Department nominee Debo Adegbile due to Adegbile's legal work for Abu Jamal.
Five police unions, representing over 280,000 officers, have urged senators to oppose Mangi's nomination due to his involvement with the Alliance of Families for Justice. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) echoed these concerns in a Senate floor speech, stating, "It turns out [Mangi] also has a history of support for anti-police activism."
In response, the White House has rallied external groups to endorse Mangi. The AFL-CIO, the Coalition of the Underrepresented Law Enforcement Associations, and the left-wing Alliance for Justice have submitted letters to senators this week, urging them to support Mangi's nomination.
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