For weeks, you’ve kept the conversation around gun violence prevention steady and constant in the wake of the Parkland school shooting. And students across the country have taken brave steps to confront government officials and demand change.

This spring, Republican senators are working to confirm the NRA’s favorite lawyer, Howard C. Nielson, to a lifetime district court judgeship. He only needs a simple majority of votes, so we need to chip away at least 1 or 2 Republicans and ask Democrats to hold strong. That means all senators must hear from their constituents. This is a major opportunity for your senators to fight back against the gun lobby’s influence, at a crucial time in history.

Call to Action

Here’s what you can do:

• Review Indivisible’s resource for more information about Howard Nielson and how he has routinely positioned himself on the far-right fringe of the gun debate.
• Use Indivisible’s call script to call our senators. They can block Nielson’s nomination, so they need to hear your concerns about Nielson’s close ties to the NRA.  Once you’re on the phone, tell Senators Warren and Markey that Nielson is the wrong choice for federal judgeship. His relationship with the NRA and his far-right lean on the gun debate make him unfit for a lifetime role.

We have some time before the vote, so there’s time to lay the groundwork and make sure that our senators say NO to Nielson. Your voice can make the difference in this nomination process. This position is locked in for life, and the NRA will be in Neilson’s pocket throughout that position of power if confirmed.

Background

Here’s what you should know about Howard C. Nielson and the NRA:

• Nielson is one of the NRA’s go-to attorneys. He’s made a career out of representing the NRA and fighting against common-sense gun safety measures. Neilson has argued that state bans on people under 21 purchasing handguns or publicly carrying firearms are unconstitutional, and that cities should not be able to ban semi automatic rifles.
• He supported expanding the scope of the Second Amendment. Back in 2004 during the Bush administration, Nielson wrote a legal memo that argued for an expanded interpretation on the Second Amendment. The Supreme Court adopted his framework, and to this day it’s harder for states to take measures to prevent gun violence.

There are many more reasons to oppose Neilson’s confirmation (defending same-sex marriage bans and writing infamous Torture Memos), but his relationship with the gun lobby and the national momentum behind gun violence prevention make this nomination stoppable.

Thankfully the Senate, not Trump, will vote on Howard Nielson’s nomination. We have the power to let our senators know that Nielson is unacceptable for a lifetime role.

In the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida we should not reward the NRA by handing their champions lifetime judgeship appointments. Keep power out of the NRA’s hands — call your senator and tell them to publicly say NO to Howard Nielson.