Last week, a group of civil rights leaders filed an ethics complaint against Judge Edith Jones, the former chief judge of Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Jones is under fire for allegedly saying that, "racial groups like African-Americans and Hispanics are predisposed to crime." The Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John Roberts, has ordered a rare formal review of Jones' case.

As part of the Texans for a Fair Judiciary Coalition, we released the following statement on the controversy:

"We applaud Justice Roberts' review of the alleged racist conduct of Judge Jones, and remain hopeful that the controversy will shine a light on the need for Texas' courts to be filled with fair judges that reflect the diversity of Texas."

From the Austin Chronicle's original story on Judge Jones, "Judge Edith Jones: Blacks and Hispanics More Violent"

A complaint filed today by several civil rights groups, including one funded entirely by the government of Mexico, alleges that federal Judge Edith Jones has violated her duty to be impartial and damaged the public's confidence in the judiciary, in statements she made in a public lecture – including that blacks and Hispanics are more violent.

Indeed, Jones also said that a death sentence provides a public service by allowing an inmate to "make peace with God."

Texans for a Fair Judiciary is a coalition of Texas nonprofits working to fill the emergency vacancies in Texas’ federal district courts. There are currently eight judicial vacancies in Texas federal district courts and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Texas and where Judge Jones formerly sat. Four of the six federal court vacancies and each of the vacancies on the 5th Circuit Court of appeals are currently considered "emergency vacancies."

The Texans for a Fair Judiciary coalition includes the following organizations: Progress Texas, Mi Familia Vota, Texas Freedom Network, La Fe, Texas Watch, Texans Together, National Council of Jewish Women, Texans for Public Justice, Texas League of Conservation Voters, Equality Texas, The League of Young Voters, and Empower The Vote.