Oklahoma Christian University alumnus Lawrence VanDyke, nominated by the White House as a judge for the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, was brought to tears this morning as he faced criticism from the American Bar Association and Democratic senators during a confirmation hearing.
As part of the confirmation process, VanDyke went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer a series of questions about his legal background and qualifications for the judgeship.
During this hearing, the American Bar Association presented a report declaring VanDyke unfit to serve as a judge in the Ninth District. The report cited VanDyke’s alleged stance on LGBTQ issues and assessments from colleagues calling him an “arrogant, lazy ideologue” as reasons why he should not be granted the judgeship.
VanDyke pushed back against the assessment, stating he believes all people should be treated equally regardless of their sexual orientation.
“It is a fundamental belief of mine that all people are created in the image of God,” VanDyke said, fighting back tears. “They should all be treated with dignity and respect.”
For decades, Republican lawmakers and judges have accused the ABA of having a bias against conservatives. According to VanDyke, he first learned of the letter on Tuesday night and was not allowed time from ABA officials to fully respond to negative complaints.
Some Democratic senators, including Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, and Sen. Chris Coons, D-DE, spoke in support of the ABA statement. Leahy called it “one of the most alarming he had ever seen” after 45 years in Congress.
There were also advocates for VanDyke within the committee. Sen. Mike Lee, R-UT, called the report “unfounded.” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, released a statement last month praising President Trump’s nomination of VanDyke.
A former Oklahoma Christian student who transferred to Montana State following his junior year, VanDyke earned a master’s degree in engineering and work at his family’s construction business after graduation. He later attended Harvard Law School, where he served as the editor for both the “Harvard Law Review” and the “Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy.”
Prior to being nominated for the Ninth Circuit, VanDyke served as Nevada’s solicitor general for four years and held the same title in Montana.
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