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Contact:
Marie Watteau
(202) 785-1670FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mar 16, 2009



NCLR EXPRESSES PROFOUND DISAPPOINTMENT WITH SAENZ DECISION

Washington, DC—Janet MurguÃ*a, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, expressed profound disappointment today that distinguished civil rights attorney Thomas Saenz is no longer a candidate to head the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Thomas Saenz was a great choice to oversee a department tasked with enforcing federal statutes to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, and national origin. He follows the law meticulously and is one of the best litigators our country has. He has dedicated his entire career to the fight for justice, equal opportunity, and dignity for those who have no voice,â€