Blocked Muslim judicial nominee alleges being targeted by a 'bigoted smear campaign'

Image: Jihad Watch

The first Muslim American nominated for a federal appellate court judgeship criticized senators and the judicial confirmation process in a letter to President Biden on Monday, asserting he was subjected to a bigoted smear campaign.

Adeel Mangi, a New York attorney nominated for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, sent the letter after a deal among Democratic senators effectively blocked him and other Biden appellate nominees from confirmation.

“Our process for selecting federal judges is fundamentally broken,” Mr. Mangi wrote. “It no longer assesses candidates' qualifications for judicial office. Instead, it has become a platform for performative McCarthyism, fundraising through sensationalism, and dark-money-funded attacks disproportionately targeting minorities.”

Mr. Mangi, who was born in Pakistan, saw his nomination falter under intense scrutiny from Republicans, who questioned his views on Israel, alleged support for Hamas, and his perspective on the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. However, the decisive blow came from at least three Democratic senators who withheld their support, leaving him without the votes needed for confirmation.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)