Free the Slaves supports the nomination of John Cotton Richmond as the Trafficking Ambassador, in a statement released on July 5, 2018.

“I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with John for several years,” says FTS Executive Director Maurice Middleberg. “He is an outstanding professional, very thoughtful and unfailingly civil, respectful and approachable in his interactions. We are very pleased at this nomination.”

The TIP ambassador is the highest-ranking position in the U.S. government related to trafficking in persons.

“We are confident that John will support a balanced approach to fighting human trafficking,” Middleberg says. “A holistic and comprehensive approach that gives proper attention to empowering vulnerable communities against slavery, challenging businesses to clean supply chains and increasing the risks to perpetrators is needed.”

The ambassador’s position has been vacant for more than a year, with TIP office staff filling in. They have done excellent work, but Richmond’s confirmation by the Senate will restore the office’s full influence to promote the protection of human rights inside the State Department and the administration.

“The fight against modern slavery has rightly been blessed with support across party lines and has transcended ideological divisions,” Middleberg says. “We trust that, under John’s able leadership, this tradition of placing the needs of the enslaved above all other considerations will continue.”

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