Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin Questions Andrew Duva To Be Assistant Attorney General For The Criminal Division, Two Judicial Nominees During A Senate Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Andrew Tysen Duva, nominated to be Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, about the Public Integrity Section (PIN) at the Department of Justice (DOJ). PIN staff has been reduced from approximately 30 prosecutors at the end of the Biden Administration to now only two attorneys. Earlier this week, Durbin met with Mr. Duva, who reassured the Senator that … Continue Reading
October 22, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Nomination Of Assistant Attorney General For The Criminal Division, Two Judicial Nominees
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 the nominations of Andrew Tysen Duva, nominated to be Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division; William Jerrol Crain, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana; and Alexander Coker Van Hook, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of … Continue Reading
October 22, 2025
Durbin Implores Colleagues To Reform The Centuries-Old Insurrection Act
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, encouraged his colleagues to support commonsense reforms to the outdated Insurrection Act. Introduced by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA), the Insurrection Act of 2025 would reform centuries-old legislation that gives the President broad and vague authority to deploy troops—either with or without the … Continue Reading
October 21, 2025
Durbin Statement On Forced Cutbacks For Federal Judiciary Due To Trump Shutdown
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement as today marks the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts’ reported trigger date forcing curtailed operations of the federal courts due to the Trump shutdown: “The impacts of the Trump government shutdown are now reaching our justice system. Because Republicans are choosing to put billionaire tax cuts ahead of affordable health care for all Americans, … Continue Reading
October 20, 2025
Durbin On “No Kings” Protest: Political Opposition & Peaceful Protests Are Not Rebellion, They Are The Bedrock Of Our Democracy
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 recounting the events of Chicago’s “No Kings” protest over the weekend. In his remarks, Durbin further spoke about the Trump Administration’s appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn lower-court rulings that have temporarily paused the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago. “On Saturday, an estimated seven million Americans across … Continue Reading
October 20, 2025
Durbin Meets With Nominee For Assistant Attorney General For The Criminal Division
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Andrew T. Duva, President Trump’s nominee to be Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division: “This Administration shows no willingness to abide by the rule of law. As DOJ leadership exhibits no remorse for weaponizing our justice system, the American people are louder than ever in demanding a Justice Department that puts … Continue Reading
October 10, 2025
Durbin Statement On Judge Perry Granting Temporary Restraining Order Blocking National Guard Troops To Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after U.S. District Court Judge April Perry issued a temporary restraining order blocking President Trump’s national guard deployment in Illinois for two weeks: “I welcome this ruling against the President’s diabolical plan. President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Illinois, without the consent or request of Illinois’ elected leaders, is … Continue Reading
October 09, 2025
Durbin Statement On Indictment Of New York Attorney General Letitia James
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James in federal court: “President Trump has successfully turned the Department of Justice into a shield to protect himself and his MAGA allies and a sword to attack his opponents, enabled by an Attorney General who follows orders. “This Administration shows no allegiance to our country nor the … Continue Reading
October 09, 2025
Durbin Condemns Unprovoked Trump Administration Escalation In Chicago, Attorney General Bondi’s Conduct At Oversight Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, condemned the Trump Administration’s unprovoked and unlawful escalation of immigration enforcement in Chicago and the arrival of Texas National Guard troops. In an opening statement at a Committee executive business meeting, Durbin began by highlighting Republican hypocrisy, saying: “To my Republican colleagues, how would you react if a Democratic President deployed the National … Continue Reading
October 03, 2025
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