The Human Rights Campaign strongly condemned the recess appointment of William Pryor to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. In his role as Alabama’s attorney general, Pryor utilized state resources to advance his own political goals and attack civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans, HRC said. He is on record using mean-spirited rhetoric that compares gay relationships with incest and pedophilia and perpetuates hurtful myths.
‘We have no reason to believe that William Pryor—who has shown time and again that he’s unable to separate his anti-gay beliefs from his professional duties—will be able to serve as a federal judge without bias,’ said HRC President Cheryl Jacques. ‘Pryor changed his vacation plans to avoid being at Disney World during gay days. If he’s too prejudiced to share a 36,000-acre theme park with openly gay couples and their families, he should not be serving on a federal bench. It’s especially troubling that he’s been appointed to the same court that’s been asked to rule on whether gays who serve as foster parents should be able to legally adopt children they’ve raised their entire lives.’
The 11th Circuit Court has been asked to review the decision in Lofton v. Kearney, which upheld Florida’s ban on adoption by gay and lesbian parents.