Confirmation of Assistant General Vanita Gupta Brings Independence and Integrity to Department of Justice

The National Urban League President Marc H. Morial issued the following statement following the confirmation of Vanita Gupta to be Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice:

“As one of the most highly qualified, experienced, and principled civil rights attorneys in the nation, Assistant Attorney General Gupta is exactly the person we need in this present moment to combat the rise of white supremacist-fueled hate crimes, racially-motivated voter suppression efforts, and our flawed criminal justice system. She will prioritize bringing back independence and integrity to the Department of Justice. 

“Assistant Attorney General Gupta has made history by becoming the first civil rights attorney and first person of color to hold her post. Her historic, bipartisan Senate vote is an acknowledgement of what we saw in the national outcry over the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and now Duante Wright -- that civil rights issues are not only important to people of color, they are important to all Americans. 

“We can now begin the process of restoring faith in the rule of law. The National Urban League looks forward to working with the Assistant Attorney General, the Attorney General and the Justice Department to further these goals and further the cause of racial justice.”