Lawrence VanDyke, an anti-LGBTQ religious extremist and Trump nominee for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, broke down in tears on Thursday under questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee about a letter sent to them by the American Bar Association which called him “not qualified” because of his attitudes toward LGBTQ people.
Said the letter: “Some interviewees raised concerns about whether Mr. VanDyke would be fair to persons who are gay, lesbian, or otherwise part of the LGBTQ community. Mr. VanDyke would not say affirmatively that he would be fair to any litigant before him, notably members of the LGBTQ community.”
Added the letter: “Mr. VanDyke's accomplishments are offset by the assessments of interviewees that Mr. VanDyke is arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge of the day-to-day practice including procedural rules. There was a theme that the nominee lacks humility, has an ‘entitlement' temperament, does not have an open mind, and does not always have a commitment to being candid and truthful.”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights writes: “Mr. VanDyke has represented, given speeches to, and worked as a legal intern for the homophobic Alliance Defending Freedom, an organization so extreme that it has been designated as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[12] The Alliance Defending Freedom has defended proposed laws to require sterilization of transgender individuals seeking to change their name and gender on their birth certificate, and they have defended criminalizing same-sex sexual activity.[13] Mr. VanDyke's deep and lasting ties to this fringe organization demonstrate his acceptance of its radical agenda.”
Asked Sen. Josh Hawley: “Did you say that you wouldn't be fair to members of the LGBT community?”
Amid tears, VanDyke responded: “I did not say that. I do not believe that. It is a fundamental belief of mine that all people are created in the image of God, and they should all be treated with dignity and respect.”
