June 10, 2021

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Boardman, Griggsby District Court Nominations And Davis Nomination To Lead U.S. Marshals Service

WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Deborah L. Boardman, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland; Lydia Kay Griggsby, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland; and Ronald L. Davis, to be Director of the United States Marshals Service.  Ahead of the votes, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged his colleagues to support all three nominees. 

Key Durbin quotes:

“She [Boardman] will bring real diversity to the court.  She spent eleven years as a federal public defender and worked as well in private practice, and [she has] done pro bono work.  She has the strong support of her home senators, and understands and respects the difference between advocacy and being a judge.”

“In 2014, the Committee approved [Griggsby’s] nomination to be a Judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims by voice vote—[and she was] confirmed on the Senate Floor by voice vote as well.  Since then, she has done an outstanding job [on the bench].  The ABA has unanimously rated her ‘Well Qualified.’  Judge Griggsby would be the first African-American woman and the first woman of color to serve as a district court judge in the District of Maryland.”

“Throughout his career, he [Davis] has shown time and again a deep respect for law enforcement and a belief in the need for police reform.  And he has shown us that they don’t need to be mutually exclusive.  It is no surprise that he has garnered the support of virtually every major law enforcement organization, including the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and numerous others.”

Video of Durbin’s statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s statement is available here for TV Stations. 

Deborah L. Boardman, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland, advanced out of Committee with a bipartisan vote of 11-10, with every Committee Democrat voting “aye.”

Lydia Kay Griggsby, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland, advanced out of Committee with a bipartisan vote of 16-6, with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) voting “aye” with every Committee Democrat.

Ronald L. Davis, to be Director of the United States Marshals Service, advanced out of Committee with a bipartisan vote of 14-8, with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and John Cornyn (R-TX) voting “aye” with every Committee Democrat.

-30-