(CNSNews.com) — Michigan attorney Michael Bogren, who compared a Catholic family refusing to host a same-sex wedding to a KKK member engaging in racial discrimination, withdrew his nomination to be a judge for the Western District of Michigan today, according to Prof. Margot Cleveland, who is related to Bogren.
“I just learned that my cousin, Mike Bogren, has sent [the] White House a letter withdrawing his name from consideration of the district court position,” wrote Cleveland in a June 11 tweet.
In addition, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) did not inlude Bogren’s name on a list of nominees to be voted on today in committee, reported Kansas City Star correspondent Brian Lowry.
During a May 22 hearing on his nomination, Bogren was questioned about arguments he made in an East Lansing, Mich., case equating a Catholic family refusing to host a same-sex wedding on their property to a KKK member racially discriminating.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) asked Bogren whether “a Catholic family’s pointing to the teachings of their church is equivlent to a KKK member invoking Christianity.”
After a testy back and forth, Bogren finally said yes, “I stand by those comparisons.”
Not long thereafter, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said he would not vote for Bogren and called on President Trump to withdraw the nomination. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told CNSNews.com on June 6 that he would not vote for Bogren. Also, in a May 31 tweet, Sen. Hawley wrote, “The DC Establishment wants people of faith to shut up. Our Constitution guarantees us more. I won’t support for a lifetime appointment to the bench someone who compares faithful Catholics to the KKK ridicules them as haters.”
The Detroit News reported at 4:56 p.m. today, “Michigan attorney Michael Bogren says he has written to the White House asking to withdraw his nomination to the federal bench, following growing Republican backlash over his record.”
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