Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Hearing On Nationwide Injunctions
During his remarks, Durbin criticized Republicans’ recent attacks on judges, condemned President Trump’s actions signaling he is above the law
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Rule by District Judges II: Exploring Legislative Solutions to the Bipartisan Problem of Universal Injunctions.” During his opening remarks, Durbin highlighted the dangerous and irresponsible conduct of the President and his allies, which has resulted in a disturbing increase in threats against our federal judges and represents an existential threat to judicial independence and our constitutional system.
Key Durbin Quotes:
“President Trump and Co-President Elon Musk have demanded the impeachment of federal judges who have ruled against the Administration and House Republicans have rushed to kiss the ring—so far filing articles of impeachment against six judges and counting.”
“I’ve said it many times before in this Committee, but I will say it again [today]: violence or threats of violence, whether from the right or the left of the political spectrum, are never—never—acceptable. When I was chair of this Committee, I repeatedly condemned threats against Republican-appointed justices and judges, and we passed bipartisan legislation to improve security for the bench. We must speak with one bipartisan voice on this issue.”
“This hearing is about nationwide injunctions. But it is impossible to separate the hearing from President Trump’s record in office. The reality is that we would not be holding this hearing if the President took a different approach to the rule of law. We’ve heard repeated complaints from Republicans about the number of injunctions issued against this President compared to other presidents. They ignore the fact that this President has issued more than 100 executive orders—the most by any president at this point in his term in at least four decades. And many are clearly illegal.”
“Take the President’s executive order to end birthright citizenship. Three federal judges in three different states have blocked this order—including two judges appointed by Republican presidents. And three separate appeals courts have refused to lift these injunctions.”
“That being said, I’m happy to discuss the legal and practical implications of nationwide injunctions today. But as I’ve said many times before, we cannot have one set of rules for Republicans and another set of rules for Democrats. Any legislation on this topic must be based on the merits—not political expediency.”
“In 1776—in a pamphlet appropriately titled Common Sense—Thomas Paine famously wrote that, ‘in America the law is king. For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King; and there ought to be no other.’ Today, we will discuss the use of nationwide injunctions. But there can be no debate that in America, the law is king—as it has been since our founding.”
“The president is not a king—not even this President, as much as he might wish otherwise. He is bound by the decisions of our courts, just like every other American. Now, the President and his political allies are welcome to disagree with judicial decisions that block his illegal actions. But we cannot allow anyone to threaten or intimidate our judges. And we cannot stand idly by amid any threat to our Constitution and the separation of powers.”
Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
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