Courts

Federal Judge Refuses To Hire Law Clerks Who Signed On To Letters Condemning Israel After Hamas Attack

'This is not an unfair or hyperbolic Nazi comparison,' the judge wrote.

By Staci Zaretsky on October 16, 2023 4:13 pm
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continue

(Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day.

To me, it’s a simple proposition that just like no judge would hire anyone who endorsed the KKK or the Nazis, anyone who endorses or approves or otherwise gives comfort to — in writing — Hamas, should not be hired.

If you sign on to a letter that, in essence, supports the actions of Hamas, you’re out as far as I’m concerned. And if you don’t agree with what the organization said, then in this case, resign.

— Judge Matthew Solomson of the US Court of Federal Claims, in comments given to Bloomberg Law concerning his LinkedIn post on his refusal to hire law clerks who signed on to letters effectively supporting Hamas after their terror attacks on Israel. Solomson, who identifies as an Orthodox Jew, wrote, “I will not hire any student or intern who is a member of any group that signed on to this Harvard letter or any other similar letter, whether from HLS or any other law school.” The judge went on, stating, “I refuse to credential anyone who supports or even remotely sympathizes with terror in the form of a modern day pogrom.”

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.