Durbin Calls Out Recent Uptick In Threats Against Federal Judges
During Durbin’s opening statement in a Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, he condemned the recent uptick in threats against federal judges as President Trump continues his harmful rhetoric targeted at the Judiciary
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 David Clay Wilkerson Fowlkes, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas; Nicholas Jon Ganjei, to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas; and Aaron Christian Peterson, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
During his opening, Durbin highlighted President Trump’s attacks on the judiciary.
Key Quotes:
“The dockets are busy. The questions of law are complicated. But more recently—and especially this year—the work has become even more difficult as jurists across the country face increasing personal attacks and even threats of violence.”
“The uptick in threats is not random. The attacks against individual judges by this Administration and their passionate followers have been recorded. In March, the President demanded the impeachment of a federal judge, simply for ruling against the Administration. The President called the judge ‘a Radical Left Lunatic, a troublemaker and agitator.’ The President added, ‘this judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ [sic] I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!’ The President is not the only member of his Administration to use this kind of inflammatory language.”
“MAGA loyalists in Congress have eagerly piled on. So far this year, Republican congressmen have filed impeachment resolutions against at least eight district court judges for [a] high crime and misdemeanor. And the crime they’re accused of? Disagreeing with the President.”
“As a result of the surge in threats, many judges now require additional security—including judges in my home state of Illinois. The Administration’s unlawful immigration raids in Chicago have led to numerous lawsuits… This litigation, in turn, has led to a rise in threats against several judges who actually handle these cases. As I have said many times before and will repeat each time given [the] opportunity—violence or threats of violence, whether from the right or the left of the political spectrum, are never—ever—acceptable.”
“I’d like to quote from a recent statement by the Chicago chapter of the Federal Bar Association—a nonpartisan organization. The statement reads, ‘Expressions of public sentiment—whether criticism or praise—are not threats to judicial independence. Recent threats of violence directed at Chicago federal judges for simply doing their job, however, are unacceptable and have no place in our discourse.’ I couldn’t agree more.”
“More than six months ago, I asked the Justice Department for a briefing on the Marshals Service’s efforts to protect our judges. I’m still waiting for that to take place—it should be a priority of the Committee.”
“The threats, risks, and challenges our federal judges face grow worse every day. Let’s do something about it on the Judiciary Committee.”
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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