Historic Confirmation of Kristen Clarke

Kristen Clarke is the first Black woman ever confirmed to the position of Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the 64-year history of the department.

“Our nation is a healthier place when we respect the rights of all communities. In every role I’ve held, I have worked for and with people of all backgrounds — regardless of race, national origin, religion and disability status,” Clarke wrote. “I’ve listened deeply to all sides of debates, regardless of political affiliation. There is no substitute to listening and learning in this work, and I pledge to you that I will bring that to the role if confirmed.”

Clarke “is an accomplished civil rights attorney who has earned the respect of all sides,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

Clarke sued the Proud Boys after they attacked the Metropolitan AME Church and other churches in Washington, D.C. A Black Lives Matter banner was stolen from the church and burned during a pro-Trump march on December 12, 2020. After the suit was filed, she said, “Black churches and other religious institutions have a long and ugly history of being targeted by white supremacists in racist and violent attacks meant to intimidate and create fear. Our lawsuit aims to hold those who engage in such action accountable.”

Clarke came under fire from Republicans during her April confirmation hearing for everything from articles she wrote and events she attended while she was an undergraduate at Harvard University, to her social media posts and an opinion piece she wrote in June headlined: “I Prosecuted Police Killings. Defund the Police — But Be Strategic.”

Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley and Mitch McConnell refused to back Clarke’s nomination, citing her views on police reform.

“This is not the right nominee for a crucial post at a crucial time,” McConnell said on Monday, pointing to the recent rise in violent crime across the US.

Cruz criticized both Clark and Vanita Gupta, who was confirmed in April as associate attorney general, calling them “radicals.”

Clarke has defended her statements, saying she against defunding the police and would rather allocate funds to other social programs.

“I do not support defunding the police,” she said at the hearing, in response to a question from Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin. “I do support finding strategies to ensure that law enforcement can carry out their jobs more safely and effectively and channeling resources to emotional health treatment and other severely under-resourced areas.”

A first-generation born American whose parents immigrated from Jamaica, West Indies, Kristen Clarke earned degrees from Harvard University and Columbia University School of Law. Clarke was a trial attorney in the Justice Department’s voting rights section and worked in several other positions before taking a job with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Clarke has also served for the past five years as the president of the nonprofit Lawyers’ Committee, which focuses on social justice.