Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin, Duckworth Applaud Historic Nominations Of John Lee To Serve As 7th Circuit Judge, Nancy Maldonado To Serve As U.S. District Judge
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the White House announced the nominations of Judge John Z. Lee to serve as a Circuit Court Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and Nancy L. Maldonado to serve as a District Court Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois: "We are pleased that President Biden… Continue Reading
04.11.22
Durbin Statement On Biden Announcements To Combat Gun Crime
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Biden announced additional steps the Administration is taking to combat gun violence and violent crime: "Just this morning, new reporting by The Trace revealed that some of the most notorious sellers of crime guns used in Chicago and across the Midwest received little to no consequences for serious violations of federal law, including sel… Continue Reading
04.08.22
Durbin, Grassley, Whitehouse, Cornyn Pass Key Reforms To Help American Businesses & Families Weather Financial Hardship
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and John Cornyn (R-TX), applauded passage of their bipartisan legislation to help small businesses and individuals stay afloat during bankruptcy. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate last evening. "American families and small businesses need Congress's help … Continue Reading
04.04.22
Durbin Statement On The Successful Discharge Vote For Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Nominated To Be An Associate Justice Of Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate voted to discharge Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominated to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, from the Senate Judiciary Committee by a bipartisan vote of 53-47. Ahead of her discharge vote on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke in support of Judge Jackson. Key Durbin quotes: "In the coming days, Judge Jackson's nomination will come before the full Senate. And we a… Continue Reading
04.04.22
Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks Ahead Of Judiciary Committee Vote On Supreme Court Nominee Judge Jackson
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered opening remarks at the Judiciary Committee markup on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The Committee also is considering the nominations of Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis, nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit; Arianna J. Freeman, nominee to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit; Robert … Continue Reading
03.29.22
Durbin: We Need To Look To Advanced Technology To Aid FOIA Responses, Increase Government Transparency
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Bobak Talebian, Director of the Office of Information Policy at the Justice Department, during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "The Freedom of Information Act: Improving Transparency and the American Public's Right to Know for the 21st Century." Durbin started by asking Talebian about a report on FOIA processing during the COVID-19 pandemic that the Government Acc… Continue Reading
03.29.22
Durbin Rebuts Republicans' Misrepresentations Of Judge Jackson's Record
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today rebutted Senate Republicans' misrepresentations of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's record, President Biden's nominee to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. "Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee was busy. We met for over 30 hours to consider the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. During the meeti… Continue Reading
03.29.22
Durbin, Grassley Press FBI On Reports Of Widespread Rule-Breaking In Sensitive Investigations
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 requested information and an independent Inspector General review following a newly publicized 2019 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) audit that revealed widespread violations of internal FBI policies governing investigations of political candidates, public officials, religious and political groups,… Continue Reading
03.24.22
Durbin Rebuts McConnell's Reasons For Opposing Judge Jackson To The Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - After the final day of hearings on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today rebutted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) explanation for opposing this exceptional nominee-including accusations that she supports court packing, declined to answer questions on her judicial philosophy, and that she is "soft on crime." "It seems tha… Continue Reading
03.24.22
Durbin Questions Law Enforcement Representative, Other Witnesses On Judge Jackson's Record
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Captain Frederick Thomas, the National President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and Wade Henderson, the President & CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights about Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's record during the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the … Continue Reading
03.24.22
Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony From Majority's Outside Witnesses
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee released testimony from the Majority's outside witnesses on the final day of the Committee's hearing on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Testimony is provided below on behalf of the Honorable Joyce Beatty, United States House of Representatives, 3rd District of Ohio; Ms. Risa Goluboff, Dean, Arnold H. Leon Professor of Law, and Professor of History, University of Virginia; Mr. Wade H… Continue Reading
03.24.22
In Response To Durbin's Questions, ABA Debunks Republican Myths About Judge Jackson's Sentencing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses from the American Bar Association's (ABA) Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary about Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's sentencing record during the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The ABA members serving as witnesses were Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary Chair Judg… Continue Reading
03.24.22
Durbin Delivers Opening Remarks At Fourth Day Of Nomination Hearings For Supreme Court Nominee Judge Jackson
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered his opening remarks at the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The American Bar Association (ABA) witnesses on the first panel include Judge Ann Claire Williams, the Chair of the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary; D. Jean Veta, Senior Counsel, Covington &… Continue Reading
03.24.22
Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Testimony By The American Bar Association
WASHINGTON - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee released the testimony as prepared on behalf of the American Bar Association (ABA). On March 18, the ABA officially rated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson unanimously "Well Qualified" to serve on the United States Supreme Court-ABA's highest possible rating. Key quotes: "Judge Jackson has a sterling reputation for integrity. Judges and lawyers who have known her in every capacity uniformly praised her character, calling her integrity 'beyond… Continue Reading
03.24.22
Durbin Announces First Markup Of Judge Jackson's Nomination To The Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced on Monday, March 28 at 3:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM CT, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its first markup on the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin said, "The Committee will meet in Executive Session to consider Judge Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court this Monday, March 28th at 3:00 PM." -30-… Continue Reading
03.23.22
Senate Confirms Alison Nathan To Second Circuit Court Of Appeals
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Alison Nathan's nomination to serve on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 49-47. U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Judge Nathan's confirmation: "Judge Nathan is a highly qualified and evenhanded jurist. For 10 years, before her elevation to the Second Circuit, she served with distinction on the U.S. District Court for the Southern Distr… Continue Reading
03.23.22
Durbin Questions Judge Jackson On Freedom Of The Press
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about interpreting the First Amendment, specifically freedom of the press, given the evolving technology that is available today compared to when the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, at the third day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Durbin said, "How do you move fr… Continue Reading
03.23.22
Following Durbin's Questioning, Judge Jackson Reiterates Her Duty As A Public Defender Was To Provide The Right To Counsel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her role as a public defender, specifically to clarify Senator John Cornyn's (R-TX) false claims that she called former President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld "war criminals," on the third day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The Sixth Amen… Continue Reading
03.22.22
Following Durbin's Questioning, Judge Jackson Reiterates That She Will Maintain Separation Between The Judiciary And Policymaking
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her opinion on "court packing" on the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. During his questioning, Durbin reminded his colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee that while Senate Republicans currently support maintaining nine Justices on the Supreme Court, … Continue Reading
03.22.22
Durbin Questions Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson On The Right To Counsel
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her role as a public defender at the second day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on her nomination to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson worked from 2005 to 2007 in the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Washington, D.C. At the time, the D.C. District Court was the exclusive venue charged with reviewin… Continue Reading