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Muslim Advocates Condemns Senate Vote to Approve Anti-Muslim and Anti-LGBTQ Nominee Mike Pompeo

Washington, DC – The following is a statement from Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, in response to today’s Senate vote to confirm Mike Pompeo to be Secretary of State:

“Today is a dark day for the Senate and the nation. The world’s greatest deliberative body voted to confirm a notorious anti-Muslim and anti-LGBTQ nominee to be our nation’s top diplomat.

We applaud the Senators of conscience who voted to reject Pompeo’s nomination. While Pompeo was ultimately confirmed, he enters this position having heard that his bigotry does not reflect core American values in the 21st Century.

America is supposed to be a place where all people can thrive, no matter their race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. But, the confirmation of Mike Pompeo sends an unmistakable message to Americans and the world that this Senate and this administration would like to turn back the clock on progress.

Now, Secretary of State Pompeo will control one of the nation’s largest bureaucracies with offices around the world and with a major role in implementing the Muslim Ban.

Despite this outcome, we are encouraged by the countless Americans who stood up against bigotry. We have sent a clear message that this is not the America we stand for; and we will only get stronger.”

Muslim Advocates’ executive director Farhana Khera recently penned a must-read op-ed on Pompeo’s nomination, available here.


Muslim Advocates is a national legal advocacy and educational organization that works on the frontlines of civil rights to guarantee freedom and justice for Americans of all faiths.