{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-sen-coons-rep-sewell-op-ed-on-key-alabama-court-nominee-brett-talley", "ICYMI: Sen. Coons, Rep. Sewell op-ed on key Alabama Court nominee Brett Talley", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Christopher Coons", "C001088", "www.coons.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.11.17\n\t\t\t ICYMI: Sen. Coons, Rep. Sewell op-ed on key Alabama Court nominee Brett Talley \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Brett Talley, current Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice, has been nominated for an open seat on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Representative Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) today published an op-ed on the nomination of Brett Talley for a lifetime seat on the federal district court in Alabama.\r\nThe Hill: Senate must reject Brett Talley\u2019s nomination for federal district court in Alabama\r\nBy Chris Coons and Terri Sewell\r\nIt\u2019s no secret that Americans all over the country are watching Alabama this week. The candidacy of former Alabama judge Roy Moore for the vacant U.S. Senate seat, particularly in light of appalling allegations raised by several women, has made the state the epicenter for our national conversations about not just politics, but race, the rule of law, and even basic morality.\r\nBut the Senate is quietly considering another critical issue that impacts Alabama and the rest of the country too: the nomination of a 36-year-old man named Brett Talley for a lifetime seat on the federal district court in Alabama.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nAs a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Alabama\u2019s only member of the Congressional Black Caucus, we are deeply concerned \u2013 disturbed even \u2013 by the prospect of Mr. Talley becoming a federal judge in Alabama, and we believe all Americans should be, too.\r\nFirst, the context and history of the seat Mr. Talley is nominated for in the Middle District of Alabama is critical to understanding why his potential confirmation could be so damaging.\r\nThe Middle District of Alabama has played a central role in our nation\u2019s progress on civil rights over the past half century.\u00a0 For example, it was a decision from the Middle District of Alabama that allowed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s marchers to continue their journey to Montgomery.\u00a0 It was a decision from the Middle District of Alabama that declared Montgomery\u2019s segregated buses unconstitutional following the boycotts galvanized by Rosa Parks\u2019 arrest.\u00a0 The Middle District of Alabama ruled that African American men and women must be allowed to serve on Alabama juries, struck down Alabama\u2019s poll tax, and mandated integration of public schools.\r\nIt is within this context and history that we must view the nomination of Mr. Talley, whose background and lack of experience are, frankly, shocking.\u00a0\r\nMr. Talley\u2019s behavior and history outside of the courtroom paints a portrait of someone almost uniquely unfit to serve as a federal judge in Alabama.\u00a0 Thousands of Internet posts and comments \u2013 which Mr. Talley failed to even disclose \u2013 reveal a prejudice that has no place in the nation\u2019s judiciary.\r\nThe full column is available\u00a0here.\r\n\u00a0###\r\n\u00a0\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tSean Coit at 202-224-5042 or\u00a0Sean_Coit@coons.senate.gov\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-sen-coons-rep-sewell-op-ed-on-key-alabama-court-nominee-brett-talley"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1129218619316816, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}