WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Adeel Mangi, President Biden’s nominee for a federal appeals court, faces an uphill battle as two Democrats signal their opposition, putting his confirmation in jeopardy due to the Senate’s narrow Democratic majority. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) declared her stance Tuesday, joined by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who confirmed his “no” vote on Thursday, according to HuffPost.
Mangi, who is Pakistani American, is seasoned civil litigator with a unanimous “well-qualified” rating from the American Bar Association and awards from the South Asian Bar Association. He was poised to become the nation’s first Muslim U.S. appeals court judge. However, a campaign alleging Mangi’s ties to antisemitism and terrorism has threatened his confirmation. GOP senators and dark money groups, including the Judicial Crisis Network, have challenged Mangi’s record and character for months.
At his December confirmation hearing, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) asked Mangi about sensitive topics like the 9/11 attacks and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Despite Mangi’s repeated disavowals of terrorism, attacks persisted, drawing condemnation from Muslim civil rights organizations and Jewish groups alike.
Recently, Republicans shifted their criticism, accusing Mangi of being anti-law enforcement, further complicating his confirmation prospects. However, such claims have been debunked and labeled as baseless and hypocritical. Yet, they appear to have swayed Cortez Masto, while Manchin vowed not to support any nominee without bipartisan backing.
While some Democrats continue to defend Mangi, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called out Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for perpetuating baseless attacks against Mangi. The White House remains steadfast in its support, urging Senate Democrats to stand against the smear campaign and confirm Mangi.
Despite the challenges, there is still an opportunity for Mangi to get confirmed. If Democrats can secure support from at least one GOP senator, Mangi could still squeak through to confirmation. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, known for their bipartisan leanings, are potential allies.
However, the road ahead remains uncertain as Mangi’s confirmation hangs in the balance, facing partisan attacks and a deeply divided Senate.
