Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a member of the House Budget Committee and Ranking Member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, issued the following statement about her strong opposition to the nomination of Thomas Farr to serve on the federal bench:

“Thomas Farr, Trump’s nominee to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, has fanned the flames of intolerance and discrimination throughout much of his professional life. As a Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee, I am convinced he has no place on the federal bench.

“Farr’s unethical actions include his involvement in the 1990 U.S. Senate campaign of North Carolina’s avowed segregationist Sen. Jesse Helms, who defeated his African American opponent, Harvey Gantt, in a campaign marked by sustained and racist attacks orchestrated by Mr. Farr, including the infamous “white hands” television ad.

“I hope the Senate Judiciary Committee understands that Farr’s is just another ill-conceived nomination by the Trump Administration to the federal courts. At tomorrow’s hearing which I plan to attend, I hope the Senators find that Farr is grossly unfit to serve on the federal bench.”