US Supreme Court Archives - Democratic Party of Georgia

ATLANTA — Today, more than 30 women leaders from across Georgia penned an open letter to Brian Kemp urging him to rescind his support for the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Last month, Kemp wrote a letter to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee expressing his support.

The letter to Kemp from the women leaders follows.

Mr. Kemp:

Last month, you submitted a letter to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, and in that letter you said Kavanaugh had a “clear understanding of the proper role of a judge” and “all of the personal qualities that we must demand from our Supreme Court justices.”

Recent developments have shown that your praise of Judge Kavanaugh could not be further from the truth.

Not only would Judge Kavanaugh pose a direct threat to Georgia women’s ability to make their own health decisions, he would also follow your lead in allowing insurance companies to deny guaranteed coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

Most importantly, your unwavering support for Judge Kavanaugh’s character was misguided given the credible information brought forth by multiple women and the need for every woman to be heard.

Amid “what all is going on in Washington,” as you put it, your own failure to support Georgia women and your unwillingness to stop sexual assault in Georgia cannot be ignored.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on you to immediately retract your support of Judge Kavanaugh.

Kimberly Alexander, State Representative

Tonya Anderson, State Senator

Kenyette Tisha Barnes, Women’s Rights Activist

Debra Bazemore, State Representative

Sharon Beasley-Teague, State Representative

Simone Bell, Former State Representative

Gloria Butler, State Senator

Doreen Carter, State Representative

Perri Chandler, Community Organizer
Toney Chandler, Former Fulton County Public School Counselor

Anna Cherry, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner & Certified Nurse Midwife
Edith Dee Cofrin, Board of Director, Human Rights Campaign Foundation
Gail Davenport, State Senator
Stephanie Davis, Former Executive Director, Georgia Women for a Change
Rebecca DeHart, Executive Director, Democratic Party of Georgia
Karla Drenner, State Representative
Gloria Frazier, State Representative
Shannon Gaggero, Community Organizer
Michele Henson, State Representative
Carolyn Hugley, House Minority Whip
Donzella James, State Senator
Bianca Keaton, Director of Women’s Outreach, Democratic Party of Georgia
Wanda Mosely, Member, Black Votes Matter
Bee Nguyen, State Representative
Mary Margaret Oliver, State Representative

Nan Orrock, State Senator
Sandra Scott, State Representative
Renitta Shannon, State Representative
Erica Thomas, State Representative
Nachelle Thomas, Gwinnett Democratic Women 1st Vice President
Cathy Willis Spraetz, Former President and Chief Executive Officer, Partnership Against Domestic Violence
Vanessa Toro, Women’s Rights Activist
Keisha Waites, State Representative
Adrienne White, Red Clay Democrats Chair
Nikema Williams, State Senator and 1st Vice Chair, Democratic Party of Georgia

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Release: Tuesday, December 8, 2015

DPG Chair Statement on Upcoming Oral Argument in Evenwel v. Abbott

Atlanta, GA – Today, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Evenwel v. Abbot, a Texas redistricting case that would deny representation to anyone who is not a voter, including every child and minor under 18, by changing how state legislative districts are drawn. Evenwel would also leave minority communities underrepresented, in large part because they tend to be younger. If Evenwel wins, legal permanent residents who have spent years in their communities—and are able to contribute to political candidates—would be left uncounted and denied representation.

In Georgia, an estimated 2,490,299 young people under 18 could be disenfranchised if Sue Evenwel has her way—including 49% who are young women; 833,690 of African Americans; and 314,438 of Hispanics.

Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter issued the following statement today on how this case could lead to a loss of political representation for millions of young people and minority communities across the country.

“Every single person living in America deserves equal representation and deserves to be counted in our democracy, and that’s why the Constitution requires it in congressional districts. Sue Evenwel’s egregious attempt to deny millions of people representation in state legislative districts is an attack on our democracy and threatens the ability of elected officials to adequately represent and serve their communities. Our children and everyone living in our communities deserve a voice even if they are not able to cast a ballot.

“Republicans around the nation are gunning for more restrictions on voters—because when large groups of targeted populations are disenfranchised, they have a better chance of winning. This ‘change the rules of the game to ensure a win’ effort is demonstrated through restrictive voter ID laws, curtailing early voting, and other egregious attempts to limit access to the necessary documents needed to register to vote.

“If we are serious about the integrity of our democracy, we cannot allow anyone to be disenfranchised. This case threatens to exclude far too many including every person under the age of 18, and far too many hardworking taxpayers across Georgia and the rest of the country.

“We must remain as vigilant as ever in the face of such egregious attacks on our democracy. We’ve come too far to silently sit back and let those with an extreme agenda erase our progress. Anything less would dishonor the legacy of our civil rights activists and heroes who gave their all—in some cases their lives—to ensure that every American has a voice.”

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OPEN LETTER: More than 30 Georgia Women Leaders Urge Brian Kemp to Rescind Support for Judge Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court

DPG Chair Statement on Evenwel v. Abbott