WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the judicial nominations of Joshua Dale Dunlap, nominated to be a United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit; Eric Chunyee Tung, nominated to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit;William Walter Mercer, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the District of Montana; and Stephen Chad Meredith, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Before giving remarks on the judicial nominees in today’s hearing, Durbin addressed President Trump’s Truth Social post last night that called on Chairman Grassley to eliminate the blue slip. Durbin thanked Grassley for pledging to uphold the longstanding bipartisan Senate tradition. Durbin also upheld the blue slip tradition during his time as Chair.
Key Quotes:
“Today’s slate of nominees represents the latest chosen by [the] Trump Administration. Notably, both of the nominees on the first panel were selected without meaningful consultation with all of their home-state Senators. At the outset, I would like to address how Mr. Dunlap and Mr. Tung were selected. For both nominees, the White House did not engage directly with the Democratic home-state Senators.”
“For the First Circuit vacancy, Senator King was informed two months ago that the White House was considering Mr. Dunlap. Senator King had no role in submitting or recommending candidates to the White House. [Or take] the Ninth Circuit selection process. The White House engaged with Senators Padilla and Schiff on this vacancy for only three months before announcing [Mr. Tung’s] nomination.”
“Beyond the lack of meaningful consultation with Democratic home-state Senators, there are troubling aspects of these nominees’ records. Just this year, at Federalist Society events, Mr. Tung blamed welfare for the ‘dissolution of the family’ and questioned the constitutional rights of LGBTQ Americans to get married and even to engage in private, sexual conduct. And Mr. Dunlap was counsel in literally dozens of cases defending Big Pharma for its role in feeding the opioid epidemic that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans.”
“William Mercer, nominated to the District of Montana, played a key role in the U.S. Attorney firing scandal during the George W. Bush Administration. As a result, his nomination to an Associate Attorney General was withdrawn. I also look forward to hearing Mr. Mercer’s explanation for opposing [legislation] in the Montana Legislature that would have eliminated the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits by survivors of child sex abuse.”
“I am also deeply concerned by Chad Meredith’s record. He repeatedly took extreme anti-choice positions while serving as Chief Deputy General Counsel for then-Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and as Kentucky Solicitor General. I want to hear from Mr. Meredith about his role in Governor Bevin’s controversial pardons of hundreds of violent offenders during his final days in office.”
“I fear these nominees unfortunately have many questions that need to be answered.”
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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