Jeff Mateer
 |
Jeff Mateer | |
|---|---|
| First Assistant Attorney General of Texas | |
| In office April 2016 – October 2020 | |
| Attorney General | Ken Paxton |
| Preceded by | Chip Roy |
| Succeeded by | Brent Webster |
| Personal details | |
| Education | Dickinson College (BA) Dedman School of Law (JD) |
Jeffrey Carl Mateer is an American lawyer. From 2016 to 2020, he served as First Assistant Attorney General of Texas. In September 2017, he was nominated by President Donald Trump to become a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas; however, the nomination was withdrawn in December 2017.[1] Mateer previously served as general counsel of the First Liberty Institute, a religious liberty advocacy group headquartered in Plano.[2] He returned to the Institute, following his resignation from the Attorney General's Office.[3]
Biography
Mateer earned his Bachelor of Arts with honors from Dickinson College and his Juris Doctor with honors from the Dedman School of Law. He spent nearly 20 years litigating in private practice, where he handled a range of trial and appellate matters. He then became general counsel and executive vice president of the First Liberty Institute.[4] In two 2015 speeches, he described the issue of transgender children as a deception and "part of Satan's plan".[5] He also spoke in opposition to state bans on conversion therapy at a conference hosted by Kevin Swanson, a pastor who preaches that the Biblical punishment for homosexuality is death.[2] Mateer said that the legalization of same-sex marriage could lead to the legalization of polygamy and bestiality.[2]
From 2016 to 2020, Mateer served as the First Assistant Attorney General of Texas under Attorney General Ken Paxton, supervising the state's active litigation matters.[4] Upon resigning, he filed a complaint against AG Paxton alleging wrongdoing along with other top attorneys in the litigation division.[6]
Following his public service, Mateer returned to the First Liberty Institute.[3]
Failed nomination to District Court
On September 7, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Mateer to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, to the seat vacated by Judge Richard A. Schell, who assumed senior status on March 10, 2015.[7] Mateer was recommended to the White House by Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz.[8] After Mateer's remarks about transgender children being part of "Satan's plan" and his support for conversion therapy were publicized in late September 2017, John Cornyn, the senior Republican Senator from Texas and then-Senate Majority Whip, expressed skepticism about Mateer's suitability to sit on the federal bench.[9] Cornyn and members of a committee that screens Texas judicial candidates said that Mateer had not disclosed the statements.[8] Cruz said that he still supported Mateer's nomination.[5] In December 2017, Mateer's nomination for the federal judiciary was withdrawn.[1] On January 3, 2018, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate.[10] On January 8, 2018, the White House renominated 21 of 26 federal judicial nominees who had been returned by the U.S. Senate. Mateer was not among the 21 individuals who were renominated.[11]
See also
References
- ^ a b Demirjian, Karoun (December 13, 2017). "Two controversial federal judge nominees will not be confirmed, Senate Republican says". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
- ^ a b c Massie, Chris (September 20, 2017). "Trump judicial nominee said the issue of transgender children is a deception and part of 'Satan's plan', defended 'conversion therapy'". CNN.
- ^ a b "Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's top assistant leaves to help get conservative judges on the federal bench". Dallas News. October 3, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ a b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Seventh Wave of Judicial Candidates". whitehouse.gov. September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017 – via National Archives.
- ^ a b Nicole Cobler (September 28, 2017). "Cruz stands by Trump court pick who sees 'Satan's plan' in transgender kids; Cornyn undecided". Dallas News.
- ^ Platoff, Emma (October 4, 2020). "Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's top aides want him investigated for bribery and other alleged crimes". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ "Eight Nominations Sent to the Senate Today". whitehouse.gov. September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017 – via National Archives.
- ^ a b Cobler, Nicole; Gillman, Todd J. (December 12, 2017). "No judgeship for 'Satan's plan' Texan, as White House drops Jeff Mateer nomination". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
- ^ Diaz, Kevin (September 28, 2017). "Cornyn has doubts about nominee who said transgender rights were 'Satan's plan'". San Antonio Express-News.
- ^ "Congressional Record", United States Senate, January 3, 2018
- ^ Dupree, Jamie (January 5, 2018). "Trump renominates two Georgians for federal judgeships". WSB Radio. Retrieved January 5, 2018.