Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Wednesday urged progressive members of the legal community to consider becoming judges as the country grapples with how to fight racial injustice.

Ellison made the remarks as part of the left-leaning American Constitution Society's national convention, which is being held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The top law enforcement officer for the state of Minnesota is overseeing the prosecution of former Minneapolis police officers for the death of George Floyd, and last week increased a third-degree murder charge to second degree against former officer Derek Chauvin, who held his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes.

In prerecorded remarks delivered during the third day of the ACS's convention ahead of a panel on progressive priorities, Ellison urged viewers to consider the judiciary as an avenue to effect change, saying "we need people in the American Constitution Society to deal with all aspects of this problem."

"We need to build an ethic that going into the judiciary is a noble and positive pursuit," he said. "Some people are great advocates, but that doesn't mean they couldn't be a good arbiter of justice, a good judge. We need good judges."

Noting that he "may be an exception to the rule" because he doesn't want to be a judge, Ellison said ACS members can also help to recruit. And he said he was troubled by the current composition of the federal judiciary, including the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ellison also urged ACS members to act as community leaders in combating racism and creating change and reforms, saying they don't have to act as lawyers to take action.

"We are right in an inflection point where, if the lawyers and the legal workers of the American Constitution Society are willing to be part of this reform movement, we can make real change," he said.

Liberal judicial groups are trying to become more of a leader on judges, after conservative figures associated with groups such as the Federalist Society have played a leading role in vetting judicial nominees for President Donald Trump. The Senate is nearing the milestone of confirming 200 Article III judges put forward by the Trump White House.

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