10.26.21

Durbin Urges Colleagues to Support Slate of District Court Nominees on the Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke in support of the nominations of Jia M. Cobb, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia; Karen McGlashan Williams, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; Patricia Tolliver Giles, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael S. Nachmanoff, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Sarala Vidya Nagala, to be United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut.  In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin highlighted the nominees’ extensive professional experience.  The Senate will proceed to cloture votes on all five nominees today.

“This week, the United States Senate is going to consider five highly-qualified federal district court nominees… these nominees represent an important cross-section of professional diversity.  They’ve served as public defenders.  They’ve also been prosecutors, civil rights attorneys, municipal lawyers, even sitting judges… all five of these nominees received bipartisan support in the Judiciary Committee,” Durbin said.  “Finally, these nominees understand the limited role that a judge plays.  In our judicial system, they have to be guided by evenhandedness, impartiality, and fidelity to the rule of law… I hope my colleagues will join me in approving them, and I hope it’s done this week in a timely manner.”

Video of Durbin’s statement on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s statement on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s statement on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

In August, Ms. Cobb advanced out of Committee with a bipartisan vote of 13-9, and Ms. Williams advanced out of Committee with a bipartisan vote of 16-6.

Last month, Ms. Giles advanced out of Committee by a bipartisan vote of 17-5, Mr. Nachmanoff advanced out of Committee by a bipartisan vote of 13-9, and Ms. Nagala advanced out of Committee by a bipartisan vote of 13-9.

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