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Rebecca Stewart: 513-479-3335

Email: info@saveservices.org

‘The Wolf Really Comes as a Wolf:’ SAVE Calls on White House to Withdraw Nomination of Catherine Lhamon

WASHINGTON / August 9, 2021 – On August 3, the Senate HELP Committee failed to approve the nomination of Catherine Lhamon to lead the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (1). In response, SAVE is calling on the White House to withdraw the ill-conceived nomination.

No other nominee for a federal civil rights position, in recent memory, has:

1. Refused to affirm her unqualified support for due process. During the July 13 hearing, Lhamon repeatedly side-stepped direct questions whether she believes in basic due process procedures. She also admitted that she does not endorse the presumption of innocence (2).
2. In her previous work at the Department of Education, neutered the constitutionally rooted due process rights of so many persons….and later made the preposterous claim that she had been “aggressive in protecting accused students’ rights.” (3)
3. Addressed senators in an arrogant and condescending manner. During a 2014 hearing, Senator Lamar Alexander asked Lhamon who had given her the authority to rewrite the Title IX law through guidance documents. She haughtily replied, “You did, when I was confirmed.” (4)
4. Faced extensive bipartisan editorial opposition. As of July 31, liberal and conservative media outlets, organizations, and individual commentators had issued 35 statements opposing her nomination (5).

Ironically, Lhamon’s strongest critics have come from a left-of-center perspective. One liberal commentator tartly observed, “Lhamon has done more to obliterate the constitutional and civil rights of accused students and faculty in higher education over the last decade than perhaps any other American.” (6) Another editorialist summarized his critique with this characterization of Lhamon’s campus due process policies: “in this case the wolf really comes as a wolf.” (7)

Catherine Lhamon’s concept of civil rights does not represent a liberal or progressive viewpoint. Rather, her political philosophy is more accurately described as “extremist.”

Instead of suffering an embarrassing vote on the Senate floor, SAVE calls on the White House to promptly withdraw the nomination of Catherine Lhamon.

Citations:

1. https://www.highereddive.com/news/senate-education-committee-deadlocks-on-bidens-nominee-for-civil-rights-he/604388/
2. https://www.saveservices.org/2021/07/ocr-nominee-catherine-lhamon-repeatedly-side-steps-questions-about-campus-due-process/
3. https://twitter.com/OnPointRadio/status/1065017443867742208
4. https://www.realcleareducation.com/articles/2021/06/23/_bidens_troubling_nominee_to_head_the_office_of_civil_rights_110598.html
5. https://www.saveservices.org/2021/08/pr-growing-opposition-both-liberal-and-conservative-to-the-nomination-of-catherine-lhamon/
6. https://www.realcleareducation.com/articles/2021/08/04/confirmation_of_lhamon_as_ocr_assistant_secretary_would_be_a_setback_for_title_ix_and_due_process_110618.html
7. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2021/07/14/catherine_lhamon_returns_to_form_146080.html