Reject Tea Partier David Porter for Circuit Court Judge

Senators Casey and Toomey

Recently, the Trump Administration nominated a right-wing Tea Party lawyer David Porter to serve as a judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The nomination is working its way through the Senate Judiciary Committee. Porter is a former lawyer for ultra-conservative Senator Rick Santorum.

Judges matter and the consequences of an appointment of Porter to the federal
bench would be dire — especially an appointment to the Circuit Court.

Back in 2014, it was rumored that David Porter might be a nominee for a federal district court vacancy in Western Pennsylvania. In many ways, this nomination is a slap in the face to Pennsylvanians who fought so hard to block this outside-the-mainstream attorney in 2014.

Porter is not just a lawyer with a right-wing point of view. He is a right wing
activist and leader in anti-choice, anti-marriage equality, anti-environment,
pro-gun movements in Pennsylvania. He is has donated large amounts of money to right-wing causes and politicians, including thousands of dollars to Senator Pat Toomey, who undoubtedly lobbied the White House hard to nominate Porter.

To: Senators Casey and Toomey
From: [Your Name]

We, the undersigned constituents, reject the nomination of right-wing activist David Porter to become a judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Judges should make decisions based on the letter of the law, not their political ideology – David Porter is not fit for such an appointment.

David Porter would not be the kind of judge who would put political ideology aside in order to be a fair jurist for all parties appearing before him.