Race should be neutral on all fronts. Five Republican attorneys general penned a letter this week to the nation’s top 100 law firms, warning them against race-based employment and contracting practices in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that upended affirmative action.
The letter noted that there have been numerous reports of law practices hiring or promoting racial minority candidates not strictly on merit but to meet diversity quotas. Led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, the group of state legal officials argued that even private entities are now required to “refrain from discriminating on the basis of race” even if it justified “under the label of ‘diversity, equity and inclusion,’” in light of the Supreme Court‘s ruling.
“Put simply, differential treatment based on race and skin color, even for purportedly ‘benign’ purposes, is unlawful, divisive, and exposes your firm to serious legal consequences, including potentially fines, damages and injunctive relief,” the nine-page Aug. 29 letter read. “We strongly advise you to immediately terminate any unlawful race-based quotas or preferences that your firm has adopted for its employment and contracting practices,” the letter reads. “If you choose not to do so, know that you will be held accountable — sooner rather than later — for treating individuals differently because of the color of their skin,” the letter went on.
In addition to Mr. Knudsen, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron signed the letter. The move comes days after the conservative legal activist who led the legal battle to end racial affirmative action in college admissions sued two law firms over diversity practices in their fellowship programs.