Press Release
Published on April 12, 2018
New York City – In advance of Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo’s confirmation hearing, Human Rights First today expressed serious concern with his prior statements and positions on broad range of human rights issues.
“From his inflammatory statements regarding Muslim Americans, to his positions rejecting equal rights for LGBT people, to his past support for torture, every American concerned with U.S. leadership on human rights should question Director Pompeo’s fitness to serve as America’s top diplomat,” said Human Rights First’s Rob Berschinski. “Protections for human rights and democratic institutions are in retreat around the world in no small part due to the Trump Administration’s willful neglect of, and outright opposition to, leadership on these issues.
“At a minimum, Director Pompeo should use his confirmation hearing to renounce his earlier stances with respect to tolerance for minorities and other marginalized communities at home and abroad. He should further provide a full accounting of his views concerning whether U.S. leadership on human rights advances American security and prosperity, and the role that diplomacy should play in maintaining a stable international order. His nomination should be judged by the Senate accordingly.”
In advance of Pompeo’s hearing, Human Rights First urged members of the Senate to ask Director Pompeo hard questions about key human rights concerns. Those questions are available here.
