In 1999, Florida lawyer Anuraag Singhal successfully persuaded a jury to recommend life in prison for his client, Jeffrey Lee Weaver, who was convicted of killing a police officer. Singhal’s talent as an attorney led him to become a federal judge in Florida after being appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019. Despite his defense of a cop killer, Singhal was confirmed with bipartisan support. Strangely, some Democratic senators who supported Singhal’s appointment are now refusing to support Adeel Abdullah Mangi, a highly qualified nominee of their own party, due to baseless smears from Republicans and conservative activists.
Mangi, who would be the first Muslim American federal appellate judge, was accused of supporting the families of prisoners and advocating for the release of individuals convicted of killing police officers because of his work with the Alliance of Families for Justice. However, Mangi had no involvement in cases related to cop killers and did not support the organization’s efforts to release prisoners. His connection with the group was solely through his corporate law firm’s pro bono work, which included a successful case that led to reforms in a prison system.
The efforts to smear Mangi have been debunked, as evidenced by the lack of mention of these allegations during his confirmation hearing. Despite facing opposition from police organizations, other mainstream groups like the Leadership Conference have expressed strong support for his confirmation. Some Democratic senators have rejected the smears as Islamophobic but have been hesitant to fully support Mangi due to fear of attacks from right-wing groups.
Mangi’s case is reminiscent of judicial nominees like Anuraag Singhal, who defended a cop killer but went on to have a successful career as a federal judge. Singhal’s legal record and fairness on the bench should serve as a model for senators evaluating nominees like Mangi, who have faced baseless attacks on their character and background. The Senate’s role of providing advice and consent on judicial nominations should be carried out objectively, without giving in to bad faith tactics from opposing political parties.
In light of these baseless attacks, Democratic senators have the opportunity to stand up for a qualified nominee like Mangi and to uphold the principles of fairness and due process in the confirmation process. By dismissing the smears and voting to confirm Mangi without delay, they can uphold the integrity of the judicial system and demonstrate a commitment to upholding the values of justice and equality. Democrats should not allow themselves to be swayed by unfounded allegations and should instead focus on the nominee’s qualifications and legal record.
