Cindy Carr, cindy.carr@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, under the cover of the ongoing Supreme Court process, the Senate voted 50-49 to confirm right-wing extremist Andrew Oldham to the the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Oldham is one of the youngest of Trump’s judicial appointees and now holds a lifetime appointment to the bench. Including Oldham, Trump has confirmed 23 judges for lifetime appointments to Courts of Appeals.
During his tenure as Texas General Counsel, Oldham sued the EPA in conjunction with now disgraced former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, who was then the Oklahoma Attorney General, to prevent the agency from using the authority that Congress gave it to limit dangerous air pollution. In those lawsuits, Oldham represented Texas before the Supreme Court in an effort to block the EPA from addressing the climate crisis and reducing air pollution. He has repeatedly demonized and criticized lifesaving commonsense environmental safeguards that protect communities, air, and water across the country. Oldham has gone far beyond challenging particular environmental standards; he has in fact questioned the very legitimacy of the Environmental Protection Agency and the other federal agencies that protect workers, consumers, and the general public.
The Sierra Club previously submitted a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee in opposition to Oldham’s nomination.
In response, Sierra Club Democracy Program Director Courtney Hight released the following statement:
"Andrew Oldham’s track record should have immediately disqualified him from this lifetime judicial appointment, but Trump and Mitch McConnell used the cover of extremist Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination process to push him through. Oldham has already demonstrated his extreme views and disdain for environmental law, and similar to every other one of Trump’s judicial nominees -- from the Circuit Courts to the Supreme Court -- he is unfit to serve on the bench.
“We will not sit idly by as Trump attempts to stack the courts with extremist judges. Together with millions across the country, we will organize and our voices will be heard by those who chose to undermine our democracy on Trump’s behalf.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.