Trump's deputy AG nominee wouldn't say if Brown v. Board of Education was correctly decided
President Trump's nominee for deputy attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, was given multiple opportunities on Wednesday to say whether he thought the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education was correctly decided, but he turned down every one.
During his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.) asked Rosen about both Brown v. Board of Education, which found racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, and Roe v. Wade, which established a woman's legal right to an abortion.
On Roe v. Wade, Rosen said he "would agree" that "it's the precedent of the Supreme Court for better than 40 years now and unless and until that changes, it's the law." When pressed, Rosen said he didn't have anything else to say. Regarding Brown v. Board of Education, Rosen said he didn't think "it would be a productive exercise for me to go through the ... thousands of Supreme Court opinions and say which ones are right and which ones are wrong."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
After being pushed by Blumenthal to answer, Rosen continued to deflect, saying he has "views about lots of Supreme Court cases, but I'm not being nominated for this position to be the solicitor general nor a judge and I think in this context the point I'm trying to make is that, whatever the law is, whether it's a decision I would favor or disfavor, I see it as the role of the Department of Justice to uphold the law such as it is, unless Congress or the courts change it." Watch his exchange with Blumenthal below. Catherine Garcia
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Christmas gifts for children: the top toys of the year
The Week Recommends The most sought-after kids' presents revealed
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Should Line of Duty return?
Talking Point Adrian Dunbar's hint about a series reboot has some critics worried
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
One great cookbook: 'The Zuni Café Cookbook' by Judy Rodgers
The Week Recommends A tome that teaches you to both recreate recipes and think like a cook
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
USC under fire for canceling valedictorian speech
Speed Read Citing safety concerns, the university canceled a pro-Palestinian student's speech
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida teachers can 'say gay' under settlement
speed read The state reached a settlement with challengers of the 2022 "Don't Say Gay" education law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden administration to forgive $39B in student loan debt for 800K borrowers
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Advocacy groups challenge Harvard's legacy admissions policy
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
2 Michigan school districts ban backpacks after confiscating 4th gun this year
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Education Department to limit bans on transgender student athletes but allow exceptions
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
UAE becomes 1st Middle Eastern country to mandate Holocaust education in schools
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
College admissions scandal mastermind sentenced to 3.5 years in prison
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published