Federal judicial nominee Wendy Vitter refused to say on Wednesday whether she agreed with the landmark civil rights case that desegregated U.S. public schools.
During her confirmation hearing, Vitter, whom President Donald Trump nominated to become a federal judge in the Eastern District of Louisiana, would not say whether she believed the Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, was correctly decided when Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked her about it.
“I don’t mean to be coy, but I think I get into a difficult area when I start commenting on Supreme Court decisions ― which are correctly decided, which I disagree with. Again, my personal, political or religious views, I would set aside,” she said, adding that she would uphold legal precedent.
Undeterred, Blumenthal repeated his question, which Vitter evaded again.
“Respectfully, I would not comment on what could be my boss’ ruling, the Supreme Court,” Vitter said. “I would be bound by it. And if I start commenting on, ‘I agree with this case, or don’t agree with this case,’ I think we get into a slippery slope.”
The New Orleans lawyer’s comments on segregation were not the only controversial moment of her confirmation hearing. A staunch opponent of abortion, Vitter also evaded Blumenthal’s questions about comments she’d made about Planned Parenthood killing more than 150,000 women a year.
Vitter’s federal judgeship nomination is for a lifetime appointment.