Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin, Grassley Announce Judiciary Committee Hearing On Whistleblower Disclosure Of Widespread Security Failures At Twitter
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced that at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 13, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a full Committee hearing to examine allegations of widespread security failures at Twitter. The hearing will feature testimony by Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, who will appear pursuant to a subpoena and whose … Continue Reading
August 23, 2022
Durbin Statement On Claims Of Widespread Security Failures At Twitter
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding reports by a former senior security employee at Twitter who is alleging widespread security failures at the company: "The whistleblower's allegations of widespread security failures at Twitter, willful misrepresentations by top executives to government agencies, and penetration of the company by foreign intelligence raise serious concerns. If … Continue Reading
August 04, 2022
Durbin Questions FBI Director Wray During Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today asked questions during the Senate Judiciary Committee's oversight hearing with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray. This is the Committee's second annual FBI oversight hearing since Senator Durbin became Chair, and FBI Director Wray's third appearance before this Committee during the past two years. Durbin asked Director Wray about mass shootings and … Continue Reading
August 04, 2022
Senate Confirms Roopali H. Desai To The Ninth Circuit
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Roopali H. Desai to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit with a bipartisan vote of 67-29. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Desai's confirmation: "It comes as no surprise that Ms. Desai's nomination has received high praise across the political and ideological spectrum, as well as from state judges, law enforcement officials, and … Continue Reading
August 04, 2022
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing With FBI Director Wray
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation." Key Quotes: "Director Wray, when you appeared before the Committee last March-just two months after the January 6 attack on the Capitol-you told us that domestic terrorism "has been metastasizing around the country for a long time now, and it's not … Continue Reading
August 04, 2022
Judiciary Committee Advances Two Circuit Court Nominees, Four District Court Nominees, And One U.S. Attorney
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Rachel Bloomekatz, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit; Doris L. Pryor, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit; Gina R. Méndez-Miró, to be United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico; Maria del R. Antongiorgi-Jordán, to be United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico; Ana C. Reyes, to be United States District Judge for the … Continue Reading
August 03, 2022
Durbin Meets With New BOP Director
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a lead author of the landmark First Step Act, today met virtually with Colette Peters, the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). During their meeting, Durbin asked Peters to commit to root out misconduct and to implement badly needed reforms-including the continued implementation of the First Step Act-at BOP, and emphasized his expectation that BOP will cooperate with the … Continue Reading
August 03, 2022
Durbin Questions Witnesses In Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat To Election Workers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Protecting Our Democracy's Frontline Workers." The hearing included testimony from officials at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on threats to election workers for the first time since the 2020 election-and the first formal update to Congress since DOJ's … Continue Reading
August 03, 2022
Durbin Calls For DOD IG To Investigate Missing Text Messages From Trump's Defense Department Leadership In Lead Up To January 6 Insurrection
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today released the following statement regarding a report that text messages for former President Donald Trump's then-Secretary of Defense Chris Miller, former chief of staff Kash Patel, and former Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy are missing for a key time period leading up to the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. … Continue Reading
August 03, 2022
Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony Of Secretaries Of State Who Endured Threats Following The 2020 Election
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee released prepared testimony from Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver during today's hearing entitled "Protecting our Democracy's Frontline Workers." In 2022, Benson received a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her work during the 2020 election, when she received an onslaught of threats, including by armed protestors at her house. Toulouse Oliver similarly received a number of … Continue Reading
August 03, 2022
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Threat To Election Workers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "Protecting Our Democracy's Frontline Workers." This hearing will include testimony from officials at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on threats to election workers for the first time since the 2020 election-and the first formal update to … Continue Reading
August 02, 2022
Durbin: Justice Department Must Take Over Investigation Of Missing Text Messages From Trump's Homeland Security Leadership And Secret Service In Lead Up To January 6 Insurrection
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, continued his calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the missing text messages from former President Donald Trump's Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, as well as Secret Service officials, in the lead up to the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Last Friday, Durbin sent a letter to … Continue Reading
July 29, 2022
Durbin Responds To MLB Commissioner Manfred
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement in response to today's letter from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred: "It is reasonable to question the premise that MLB is treating the Minor Leaguers fairly. Commissioner Manfred's response to our bipartisan request for information raises more questions than it answers, and the discrepancies between today's letter and the reality that minor league players are … Continue Reading
July 29, 2022
Durbin Calls For Justice Department To Investigate Missing Text Messages From Trump's Homeland Security Leadership And Secret Service In Lead Up To January 6 Insurrection
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding a report that text messages for former President Donald Trump's Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, as well as Secret Service officials, are missing for a key time period leading up to the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The report also notes that the Office of Inspector General … Continue Reading
July 28, 2022
Judiciary Committee Advances One Circuit Court Nominees, Two U.S. Attorneys, And Legislation To Improve Competition And Innovation
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of Roopali H. Desai, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; E. Martin Estrada, to be United States Attorney for the Central District of California; and Gregory J. Haanstad, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, by voice vote. The Committee also advanced S.4430, Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2022, by voice vote. This bill-co-led by U.S. Senate … Continue Reading
July 27, 2022
Durbin: Women's Right To Contraception Is In Jeopardy In The Post-Roe America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today detailed how the conservative Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is threatening the constitutional right to contraception-which is protected under the Court's 1965 ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut. Justice Thomas's concurring opinion in Dobbs called for Griswold, among other cases, to be reconsidered because they were, in his view, "demonstrably … Continue Reading
July 27, 2022
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Latest Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Dana M. Douglas, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit; Bradley N. Garcia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit; Frances Kay Behm, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan; Jerry W. Blackwell, to be United States … Continue Reading
July 26, 2022
Durbin Questions Witnesses At Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Federal Cannabis Policy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism hearing entitled "Decriminalizing Cannabis at the Federal Level: Necessary Steps to Address Past Harms." Durbin first commended Weldon Angelos, President and Co-Founder of The Weldon Project, for sharing his experience as someone who has been personally impacted by the "war on drugs," and … Continue Reading
July 26, 2022
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Decriminalizing Cannabis At The Federal Level
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism hearing entitled "Decriminalizing Cannabis at the Federal Level: Necessary Steps to Address Past Harms." Key Quotes: "There has been a sea change in the way cannabis has been addressed throughout this country. Thirty-eight states have now legalized the medical use [of … Continue Reading
July 26, 2022
Durbin, Leahy Call On Administration To Take An Unequivocal Position Against The Use of Torture-Derived Evidence
WASHINGTON - In response to a new letter from the Biden Administration, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released a joint statement expressing disappointment with the Administration for failing to take a firm and unequivocal position against the use of torture-derived evidence: "This is not a difficult question: Are we going to stand on principle and … Continue Reading