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For Immediate Release: Federal Judge Nominee Unfit for Federal Bench – Mateer Targets Innocent Children with Inflammatory Remarks That Prove He is Incapable of Being Fair and Impartial
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 10:42 am

Equality Texas, the largest statewide organization solely dedicated to securing full equality for LGBTQ Texans, today joined forces with other Texas advocacy organizations to oppose the federal nomination of Jeff Mateer to the federal bench.

Jeff Mateer, currently First Assistant Attorney General and formerly of the First Liberty Institute, is an unqualified candidate for a federal judicial appointment.  He has shown repeatedly he has a bias against innocent children and has put words into the public record that prove he is unfit to serve as an impartial jurist.  President Donald Trump’s nominee for a federal judgeship in Texas described transgender children as evidence of “Satan’s plan,” lamented that states were banning conversion therapy and argued that sanctioning same-sex marriage would lead to polygamy and bestiality.

“Jeff Mateer by his actions and words has shown he is incapable of being fair and impartial and has shown he would openly violate the law and discriminate against LGBTQ people. He is unfit to serve as an impartial judge in Texas and we urge our U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to oppose his nomination,” said Chuck Smith, CEO of Equality Texas.

Mateer and the First Liberty Institute have used anti-LGBT policies to blatantly vilify our families and neighbors for two decades. By nominating associates of this hate group, the president is using his office in an attempt to advance anti-LGBTQ discrimination in employment, housing and places of business all under the guise of protecting religious liberties.

This Alliance for Justice Video and videos of speeches show Mateer in his own words and capture why he is wholly unqualified for a judicial position in our country.

https://www.facebook.com/AllianceforJustice/videos/10155842265409626/

“It is the duty of federal judges to uphold the law and the Constitution and to judge all cases on these bases alone, without bias or bigotry. Mateer has made no secret of his prejudices. Anyone who brings a case in his court, including LGBTQ people and their families, should be on notice that they can’t expect a fair shake in his courtroom. Were he to stop his hostile rhetoric tomorrow, the damage is already done: millions of Americans, including LGBTQ persons and their families, are already on notice that they must not expect a fair shake in a Judge Mateer courtroom,” said Lou Weaver, the first statewide transgender programs coordinator for Equality Texas.