Tipsheet

'In a Quicksand of Radicalism:' McConnell Has a Warning About Embattled Biden Nominee

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  March 12, 2024 10:15 PM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issues a stark warning about President Joe Biden's embattled nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Adeel Mangi. While Mangi's nomination has already caused concern due to his ties to anti-police and antisemitic groups, he's also come under fire for forgetting to disclose his involvement in an event from 2022 with anti-Israel activists, forcing him to write an apology letter not long after, as the Washington Examiner reported in recent days.

"When a nominee finds himself in trouble, it’s interesting to note how people react. It’s been particularly notable in the case of President Biden’s radical pick for the Third Circuit court of appeals. I’ve spoken many times about Mr. Mangi: First to lay out his highly troubling affiliations with a center that promoted anti-Semitism and Islamic terror. Then, to explain his equally disturbing affiliation with those who would enable cop-killers," McConnell laid out from the Senate floor on Tuesday. "We’ve received letter after letter from Jewish organizations and police groups expressing their outrage at this nomination. The hurt they express is particularly palpable."

In January, the StopAntisemitism X account shared multiple posts highlighting concerns about Mangi's associations as a board advisor with the Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR) at Rutgers Law School. 

Mangi was personally recruited for CSRR by Sahar Aziz, the executive director who "is named in a newly filed lawsuit alleging antisemitism at Rutgers Law School and has blamed Israeli for the 10/7 massacre."

Despite such concerns, though, Democrats are standing by Mangi, and it's interesting to see who else McConnell pointed to as supporting the nomination. 

Recommended

Matt Gaetz Withdraws From Attorney General Nomination Matt Vespa
Why Again Do We Still Have a Special Relationship With the Tyrannical UK? Kurt Schlichter

"But Democrats have gone into overdrive to help their foundering pick. They’ve breathlessly invoked his religious identity, continuing their recent practice of asserting that demographics alone are a sufficient reason to justify life tenure on the federal bench," the Republican leader continued, pointing to the Democrats' obsession with identity politics as well as achieving equity. "And they’ve shaken the bushes for new letters of support. And the results have been interesting, to say the least."

McConnell shared how Mangi has the support from Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV), which he said "came as no surprise given that Mr. Mangi served on their board as recently as 2020."

Pointing to "basic research," McConnell highlighted how "MPV has called on the UN to monitor domestic law enforcement tactics due to systemic racism. They have recommended viewing a video with an 'anti-racism' expert who suggested that a notorious cop killer was an innocent 'political prisoner.'" Such an example certainly sounds like an organization that a Biden nominee would associate with.

Also issue at play here is the MPV's reaction to the October 7 terrorist attack that Hamas perpetrated against Israel. "MPV’s social media showcases post after post describing Israel’s response to Hamas as genocide, and accusing Israel of war crimes. It’s nothing less than a sustained calumny against America’s ally," McConnell further explained.

The Senate Judiciary Republicans account also unearthed problematic reposts from Aziz when it comes to the October 7 attack. 

These concerns with Mangi aren't new, though, as McConnell reminded. "Republicans presented evidence that Mr. Mangi aligns himself with anti-Israel radicals and supporters of cop-killers. His defenders responded with an indignant letter from an organization of anti-Israel radicals who support cop killers!"

"Mr. Mangi’s nomination is in a quicksand of radicalism: the more the Biden administration struggles to save it, the more radicalism pulls it down," McConnell continued, really illustrating the concern with not just Mangi, but also the Biden administration.

Yet for all that support from the Biden administration, Mangi is hemorrhaging it elsewhere. "Contrast this with Mr. Mangi’s law firm. While his extremist friends from his radical boards are doubling down on their support, Mr. Mangi’s elite firm seems to be saying, 'not so fast, he doesn’t speak for us.'"

"During the Judiciary Committee’s investigation into this nominee, they found that his firm is a listed sponsor of a law fellowship at the same anti-Semitic center at Rutgers that Mr. Mangi advised. But now, a look at the center’s website will show that the law firm’s name has been removed," McConnell explained. "Indeed, the firm confirmed to the Judiciary Committee that it asked to be removed after learning about the center’s outrageous activities. The firm said, 'Having had the opportunity to review' the center’s activities, it 'will not continue to support.'"

"Traditional liberals are distancing themselves from Mr. Mangi while radicals embrace him," McConnell pointed out, as he reiterated "the Senate should reject him."

McConnell recently announced that he would be stepping down as Republican leader at the end of the year. For all of the criticisms from fellow Republicans, even his critics have commended him for his commitment to the judiciary and working with former President Donald Trump to get judges, including three U.S. Supreme Court justices, confirmed.

So far, the Biden administration's response, in line with their prioritizing of equity, has been to decry the "Islamophobic attacks" against Mangi, who would be the first Muslim American federal appellate judge if confirmed. It's nevertheless looking like a pretty big "if."