The Democratic senator is caught between a rock and a hard place, as he must decide whether to support Mangi, who has been criticized for his associations with organizations perceived as anti-Israel and anti-police, or to defy his party by voting against Biden's groundbreaking nominee to the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Mangi is the first Muslim to be nominated to a federal appeals court.
The implications of Casey's vote could be far-reaching, particularly as he faces a challenging reelection cycle. If Mangi is confirmed, he will have jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by Casey's Republican adversary, Dave McCormick. A spokesperson for McCormick has stated that a vote for Mangi is tantamount to a vote against Pennsylvania's Jewish communities and its dedicated law enforcement officers. Both pro-Israel factions and police unions have urged senators to reject Mangi due to his left-leaning affiliations.
WATCH:ELON MUSK TALKS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SELF DRIVING CARS
The White House, however, is not providing an easy escape route for Casey or other senators from swing states. A spokesperson for President Biden expressed last week that the president is "extremely proud" of his nomination of Mangi.
Mangi's nomination is on unstable footing following revelations about his involvement with a think tank that has accused Israel of genocide and hosted convicted terrorist financiers at a 9/11 anniversary event.
WATCH ALAN DERSHOWITZ: "THERE IS NO CRIME IN MANHATTAN"
January 30, 2024
Mangi was a board member of the Rutgers Law School Center for Race, Security and Rights, a left-leaning group advocating for the defunding of police departments and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon. He currently serves on the advisory board of a left-wing group that lobbied for the parole of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a black nationalist convicted of murdering Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981.
PUTIN'S LATEST POWER MOVE: RUSSIA DISPLAYS "WAR WINS" IN EYE-OPENING EXHIBITION
During his December confirmation hearing, Mangi evaded questions about the Center for Race, Security and Rights. He condemned terrorism but refrained from criticizing the center's anti-Israel rhetoric.
Despite the controversy, Casey has not revealed his voting intentions regarding Mangi, who is currently in private practice. The senator has not publicly commented on Mangi, and his Senate office has not responded to requests for comment. His campaign has also declined to comment.
BIDEN'S CRUCIAL CROSSROADS: GAZA CEASE-FIRE NEGOTIATIONS REACH CRITICAL JUNCTURE
Nate Sizemore, press secretary for the McCormick campaign, criticized Casey's silence, stating, "This is Bob Casey's playbook—hide from the voters of Pennsylvania and then quietly rubber stamp Biden's radical nominees. It's time the commonwealth had a senator who isn't afraid to demonstrate moral clarity."
HOW DEMOCRATS' ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS ARE TURNING INTO THEIR WORST NIGHTMARE
Casey has previously opposed a Democratic nominee. In 2014, he voted against confirming Obama Justice Department nominee Debo Adegbile due to Adegbile's representation of Abu-Jamal, who was initially sentenced to death for the murder of Faulkner. The Third Circuit, where Mangi will serve if confirmed, overturned Abu-Jamal's death sentence in 2011.
"BITCOIN JESUS" BUSTED: $48 MILLION TAX EVASION SCHEME UNRAVELS
Casey, opposing Adegbile at the time, stated, "It is important that we ensure that Pennsylvanians and citizens across the country have full confidence in their public representatives—both elected and appointed."
Mangi has not publicly stated his position on the Abu-Jamal case or on the issue of defunding the police. He is a member of the advisory board of the Alliance of Families for Justice, which organized a rally in 2021 advocating for the parole of Abu-Jamal, Mutulu Shakur, H. Rap Brown, and other convicted cop-killers. The group referred to these individuals as "freedom fighters" and suggested they were targeted due to their prominence in radical black nationalist groups such as the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army.
The National Association of Police Organizations, a union representing 240,000 members, declared in a letter to senators last week that Mangi's work with the Alliance of Families for Justice is "disqualifying."
Until November 2021, Mangi was a board member of the Legal Aid Society of New York. During his tenure, the organization called for the defunding of the New York City Police Department and ICE. The Legal Aid Society sued New York City to release hundreds of inmates from jail during the coronavirus pandemic, including a career criminal charged with murdering his girlfriend and another man who was charged with attempted rape 10 days after his release from jail.
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
