Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
In Senate Floor Speech, Durbin Opposes Nomination Of Stanley Woodward To Serve As Associate Attorney General
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor opposing the nomination of Stanley Woodward, President Trump’s nominee to serve as Associate Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In his remarks, Durbin made clear that Mr. Woodward, who has been an active participant in gutting critical divisions at DOJ, is unfit to serve in this position. Mr. Woodward’s nomination is … Continue Reading
October 01, 2025
Calling Out Yesterday’s Partisan Hearing On Crime, Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Business Meeting
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting. Before voting on today’s nominees, Durbin expressed frustration about yesterday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on crime. Rather than holding a hearing on the harms of the Trump Administration’s illegal and unconstitutional deployment of the military to police American cities as … Continue Reading
September 30, 2025
Durbin Presses Witnesses On Diversion Of Critical Federal Resources To Support President Trump’s Cruel Mass Deportation Scheme
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on reducing crime and making communities safer for all Americans. Rather than holding a hearing on the harms of military deployment to cities as Durbin requested, today’s hearing was politically framed to blame “blue cities” for Republicans’ refusals to support effective solutions to gun violence and glamorize the … Continue Reading
September 30, 2025
In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Durbin Slams Trump Administration’s Deployment Of Military To American Cities, Discredits Narrative That Crime Is Only A ‘Blue City’ Issue
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on reducing crime and making communities safer for all Americans. As President Trump has continuously threatened to deploy troops to Chicago, Durbin requested a hearing to examine the harms of military deployment to cities. While today’s hearing was politically reframed to blame “blue cities” for Republican … Continue Reading
September 30, 2025
Following Comey Indictment, Durbin Slams Trump Administration’s Blatant Politicization Of DOJ
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor yesterday, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reprimanded the Trump Administration for weaponizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to attack President Trump’s personal enemies. In his remarks, Durbin underscored that political retribution was the true intention behind President Trump and Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi’s move to force Erik Siebert, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the … Continue Reading
September 26, 2025
Following Comey Indictment, Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats Demand Answers On The Politicization Of DOJ As President Trump Pursues Criminal Charges Against His Political Enemies
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led eight Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in demanding answers from Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi about the continued weaponization of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in light of the forced resignation of Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Seibert and the indictment of former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey. In the … Continue Reading
September 26, 2025
Durbin Statement On Indictment Of Former FBI Director James Comey
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the Trump-Bondi Department of Justice indictment of former FBI Director James Comey: “The Department of Justice has become a political tool of a vengeful President. President Trump wears his corruption like a badge of honor and defies anyone daring to challenge him. The Attorney General willingly complies with every order from the White House. “Is … Continue Reading
August 14, 2025
Durbin Demands The Acting Inspector General Investigate The Trump Administration's Purging Of FBI Officials
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged the Department of Justice’s Acting Inspector General William Blier to investigate the arbitrary removals, forced retirements, and reassignments of senior Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executives, special agents in charge (SACs), and other supervisory agents and the impact these decisions have had on the Bureau’s national security and law enforcement operations, as well as … Continue Reading
August 12, 2025
Durbin, Booker Urge Supreme Court To Maintain Of Landmark Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform Law In Fernandez V. United States
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court urging the justices to maintain the strength of their landmark bipartisan criminal justice reform law, the First Step Act. In the upcoming case Fernandez v. United States, the justices will consider whether there are limitations on what circumstances may serve as the extraordinary and compelling reasons that … Continue Reading
August 02, 2025
Durbin Statement On Senate Confirmation of Jeanine Pirro To Be U.S. Attorney For The District Of Columbia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm Jeanine Pirro to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia: “As I’ve said for weeks, Ms. Pirro’s record is deeply troubling. She’s a January 6 apologist, siding with violent insurrectionists over law enforcement and supporting criminal charges against line prosecutors who handled insurrection-related … Continue Reading
July 30, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Spotlight Forum Examining Trump Administration's Voter Suppression Efforts
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at his and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s (D-CA) spotlight forum entitled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: Fighting a Surge in Voter Suppression.” Today’s spotlight forum examined the recent surge in voter suppression by Republican state legislatures and the Trump Administration, ranging from attempts to purge voter rolls to the push to … Continue Reading
July 29, 2025
Durbin, Warnock Reintroduce John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Reverand Raphael Warnock (D-GA), along with U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and all other Senate Democrats, today reintroduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation that would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act. This legislation is especially relevant in … Continue Reading
March 06, 2025
Durbin Discusses U.S.-Israel Relations, Antisemitism With JACPAC
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with members of the Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JACPAC). JACPAC is a national organization dedicated to supporting issues reflective of Jewish values, including promoting strong U.S.-Israel relations, combating antisemitism, and supporting reproductive rights, gun violence prevention, and separation of religion and state. On the meeting, Durbin released … Continue Reading
February 21, 2025
Durbin Joins Introduction Of Legislation To Defund Implementation Of Trump's Unconstitutional Attempt To Eliminate Birthright Citizenship
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) to introduce the Born in the USA Act to effectively block the implementation of President Trump’s unconstitutional Executive Order attempting to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States. This bill would prevent any government funds from being used to carry out or enforce this directive, which violates the U.S. … Continue Reading
January 22, 2025
Durbin Calls Out "Full, Complete, And Unconditional" Pardons Given by President Trump To January 6 Insurrectionists Who Violently Assaulted Police Officers
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, denounced President Trump’s decision to pardon January 6th insurrectionists, including those who violently assaulted law enforcement officers. In his remarks, Durbin read from an NPR article, describing in detail the crimes committed by the insurrectionists. “We should reflect on these pardons and the people who received them,” Durbin began. “‘[Here … Continue Reading
January 17, 2025
Durbin Statement On President Biden Recognizing Ratification Of The ERA
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after President Biden announced his position on the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which enshrines gender equality into the Constitution: “The Equal Rights Amendment is literally a century in the making, and over the years, generations of Americans have done their part to move it forward. They’ve marched on Washington, they’ve met with … Continue Reading
January 17, 2025
Durbin Statement On President Biden Commuting Sentences Of Nearly 2,500 Non-Violent Drug Offenders
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced the commutation of nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses: “I authored the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act because I believe in second chances. Far too many incarcerated people are serving excessively long sentences for non-violent drug convictions, despite demonstrating good behavior … Continue Reading
January 15, 2025
Pam Bondi Associates With Extremists
Pam Bondi has a history of surrounding herself with many troubling individuals who have either been accused of various criminal wrongdoings or have made extreme statements disparaging opponents of Donald Trump, Democratic Party members, and Jewish people. Matt Schlapp was accused of groping a Republican campaign staffer without consent, which was later investigated along with two other incidents of sexual misconduct. Pam Bondi took to social media to defend Schlapp. Paula White is a … Continue Reading
January 14, 2025
Durbin Urges OPM To Approve Special Pay Rate For BOP Employees To Address Critical Staffing Shortages At BOP Facilities Nationwide
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Rob Shriver, Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to request that OPM approve the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) recently-transmitted special pay rate request for critical employees nationwide. “I write to request that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) act swiftly to approve the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) recently … Continue Reading
January 13, 2025
Durbin Outlines Concerns Regarding Pam Bondi, Trump's Attorney General Pick, Ahead Of Nomination Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor ahead of this week’s nomination hearing for President-elect Donald Trump’s Attorney General pick, Pam Bondi. The speech follows a meeting between Durbin and Bondi last week. Durbin began by underscoring the importance of the Attorney General’s role to the daily lives of the American people, saying: “The significance of the Attorney General cannot be … Continue Reading