Ralph Neas

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Ralph G. Neas (born 1946) is president-emeritus of People For the American Way, a prominent progressive advocacy organization in the United States. He served as the organization's executive director and president from 2000 to 2007.

Neas was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. He began his career as a Republican, serving as chief counsel to Edward W. Brooke and David Durenberger. He later shifted parties, also serving as the Chairman of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights from 1981 to 1995. He was a Democratic candidate for Maryland's 8th district in the House of Representatives in 1998.

Neas was instrumental in defeating Robert Bork's nomination to the United States Supreme Court in 1987. (See Ethan Bronner's book, Battle for Justice: How the Bork Nomination Shook America.). Since the Bork defeat, Neas has continued to lead or remained at the forefront in nearly every battle of Republican-nominated judicial nominees referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

[edit] External links

• People For the American Way: Ralph G. Neas biography
• A question of fairness: rights for gay couples, Ralph G. Neas, People's Weekly World, 11/26/03