Letter to the Editor: Law students, professors call on Sen. John Kennedy to resign
January 25, 2021
**The following is a letter addressed to Senator John Kennedy by Loyola College of Law students and faculty as well as Tulane School of Law students.**
For a Spanish translation, see here
Senator Kennedy:
We write to express our deep disappointment in your role in the certification process on January 6, 2021 and your implicit support of the mob that invaded the United States Capitol building. We are equally disgusted that you were joined in your objection to the Pennsylvania electors by other members of the Louisiana delegation: Mike Johnson, Clay Higgins, Garret Graves, and Steve Scalise. We urge you to resign.
As a lawyer and an elected official, you are well aware that the Congressional role in presidential elections is to simply certify the electors from each state. Objecting with the intent to disenfranchise millions of voters is unthinkable in a democratic republic, especially under the 15th Amendment.
Your objection to the election certification after a deadly attempted coup in the Capitol was inappropriate and disrespectful to those who risked their lives to protect you from the violence you helped to incite. By objecting to the certification, you gave credence to the the mob’s political will, which they expressed in a manner that would have been called terrorism had it been done by other demographics.
Your actions on January 6, 2021 brought shame to the state of Louisiana and indicate that you do not respect the will of the people. We, the undersigned, demand that you resign your post. The United States Senate should contain democratically elected officials who support the Constitution and the will of the people. You no longer fit that description; we respectfully request your immediate resignation.
With extreme disappointment,
Hunter Ahia, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Ryan Anderson, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Carolina Avila, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Jessica Barton, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Jahmecia Beasley, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Emily Becnel, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Meredith Booker, MPP, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Brandan Bonds, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Grace Bronson, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Emily Cabrera, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Gianluca S. Cocito-Monoc, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Sydney Cone, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Kent Coupe, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Raymond Daigle, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Maggie Daly, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Rebecca Desta, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Claire E Dulle, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Gabrielle Evans, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Kimberly Fanshier, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Dylan Farrow, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Maria E. Frischling, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Devin Geiger, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Britt Gondolfi, JD Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Makala Graves, J.D. Candidate Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Devon Griger, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University
Brittany Grimes, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Sarah Hyde, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Alessandra Jerolleman, PhD, CFM, MPA, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Abby Joens-Witherow, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Brenna Landis, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Colin Leonard, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Molly Liberto, MA, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Carlo Loria, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Joshua Malone, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Paige Metzman, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Jillian Morrison, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Debra Ngcobo, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Caitlion O’Neill, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Briana Ortiz, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Paige Patrick, MA, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Dallas Prater, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Hannah Quicksell, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Connor S. Roberts, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College Of Law
Joshua Robin, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Bryan Rodriguez, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Bryn Sarner, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Emily Shinn, J.D./M.P.H. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Ellen Short, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Sarah Skidmore, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Ilana Smirin, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Brenda Solorzano, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Brennan Spoor, J.D. Candidate, Tulane University Law School
Kane Yutaka Tenorio, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Matthew Thompson, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Madison Torry, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Taylor Tran, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Madison Tuck, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Ashly Villa-Ortega, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
William Wildman, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Angel Williams, J.D. Candidate, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Mitch Crusto, Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Davida Finger, Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Robert Garda, Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
James M. Klebba, Emeritus Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
William Quigley, Emeritus Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Karen Sokol, Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Organizations:
Latinx Law Student Association, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
National Lawyers Guild Chapter at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Affiliations provided for identification purposes only. All signatories represent their views as individuals and do not sign on behalf of any law school or organization.
Loyola University College of Law signatories to the letter to Senator Kennedy urge like-minded undergraduate students, faculty and staff to reach out and make your voices heard.
Fred Treschwig • Jan 26, 2021 at 5:13 pm
This letter brings to mind the old saying about opinions being like a part of the human anatomy. I’ll leave it up to those signatories to do their own research on the topic.
Personally, as a graduate of Loyola Law, it embarrasses me that so many students and faculty share this stated “opinion”. Unfortunately, it is not surprising, but embarrassing nonetheless.