Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin Statement On Confirmation Of Todd Blanche To Be Attorney General
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 confirmed Todd Blanche to be U.S. Attorney General: “It was a grave mistake for the Senate to approve Todd Blanche as the next Attorney General. If there is ever a moment in history when we need an Attorney General above reproach, who is dedicated to ending corruption, it is right now. “This nation deserves an Attorney General … Continue Reading
August 06, 2026
Senate Democrats Sound Alarm On Proposed ATF Rule Loosening Firearm Prohibitions For High-Risk Individuals
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) led a group of Senate Democrats in sounding the alarm on a proposed federal gun regulation that would revise the definitions of “adjudicated as a mental defective” and “committed to a mental institution,” effectively raising the legal threshold to prohibit high-risk individuals’ access to firearms. In a letter to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, … Continue Reading
August 05, 2026
Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees During Judiciary Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned judicial nominees during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Durbin first questioned Anna St. John, nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, about her opposition to ending forced arbitration. In 2021, Judge St. John testified against the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act—which had strong bipartisan support … Continue Reading
August 05, 2026
Durbin To Republican Colleagues: Oppose Todd Blanche’s Nomination To Be Attorney General
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led his colleagues in speeches on the Senate floor in opposition to the nomination of Todd Blanche to be U.S. Attorney General. Durbin was joined by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). During his remarks, Durbin argued that Mr. Blanche’s involvement with the nearly $2 billion January 6 slush fund … Continue Reading
August 05, 2026
Durbin Condemns Blatant Trump Administration Corruption In Senate Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing Opening Statement
WASHINGTON - During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement in which he slammed President Trump and the Trump Administration for the blatant corruption happening within the executive branch. President Trump has gone to unprecedented lengths to upend the rule of law and use the power of the federal government to shield himself and his allies and attack … Continue Reading
August 04, 2026
Durbin, Senate Democrats Sound Alarm On Proposed ATF Rule On Transporting Firearms
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led a group of Senate Democrats in sounding the alarm on a proposed federal gun regulation that would allow individuals to circumvent state laws regarding possession or carrying of firearms and ammunition. In a letter to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Robert Cekada, the Senators wrote: “As members of Congress, we are committed to protecting … Continue Reading
August 04, 2026
Durbin Slams DOJ “Deal” On “Anti-Weaponization” Slush Fund During Senate Judiciary Committee Markup On Todd Blanche’s Nomination To Be Attorney General
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 where he spoke against the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be U.S. Attorney General. Durbin slammed Blanche’s so-called “deal” to kill the “anti-weaponization” fund. During his opening, Durbin noted Mr. Blanche’s statements on the slush fund and the IRS immunity … Continue Reading
July 30, 2026
Durbin, Cramer, Boozman Introduce New Legislation To Advance Judicial Independence And Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and John Boozman (R-AR) today introduced new, bipartisan legislation to give the federal judiciary authority to manage courthouse facilities in 10 judicial districts across the country. The Judicial Space and Facilities Management Effectiveness Act (JSFMEA) would establish a pilot program allowing the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO) to assume control of courthouse facilities from … Continue Reading
July 29, 2026
Durbin Statement On Latest Developments In Todd Blanche’s Embattled Attorney General Nomination
WASHINGTON - In a statement to the Congressional record, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, provided his latest assessment of the state of Todd Blanche’s nomination to be Attorney General. “Tomorrow, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a key vote on Todd Blanche’s nomination to be Attorney General… The position demands that the Attorney General be someone committed to the rule of law and the Constitution more than … Continue Reading
July 24, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Call On GSA To Act With Urgency To Address Ongoing Maintenance Issues At Dirksen & Roszkowski Courthouses
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) sent a letter to General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Ed Forst calling on GSA to act with urgency to complete longstanding maintenance issues at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse and the Stanley J. Roszkowski U.S. Courthouse in the Northern District of Illinois. The Senators first wrote to Administrator Forst on April 27, 2026, and GSA has since made recent progress in … Continue Reading
July 23, 2026
Durbin Speaks Against Todd Blanche’s Nomination To Be Attorney General In Senate Judiciary Committee Markup
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 where he spoke against the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be U.S. Attorney General. Durbin also addressed Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) comments about special prosecutor Jack Smith. Durbin again called for Committee Republicans to … Continue Reading
July 22, 2026
Durbin Questions Witnesses During Spotlight Forum On President Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a spotlight forum hosted by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) examining President Trump’s pick to be the Attorney General, Todd Blanche. Durbin first questioned Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania, Claire Finkelstein, founder and faculty director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL), about the conflict of interest involving … Continue Reading
July 22, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth, Wyden, Sanders, Scanlon, Dingell, Simon Lead 100 Members Of Congress In Calling On DOJ To Rescind Opinion Undermining Olmstead
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL); U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee; U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-07), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), and Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) today led 100 Members of Congress in a letter … Continue Reading
July 21, 2026
Ahead Of Confirmation Vote, Durbin Speaks Out Against Kara Westercamp’s Nomination To Lifetime Position On The Court Of International Trade Over Inflammatory Social Media Posts
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 the nomination of Kara Westercamp to a lifetime appointment on the Court of International Trade (CIT). Ms. Westercamp’s now-deleted social media posts questioned the outcome of the 2020 election; whitewashed the January 6 attack on the Capitol; attacked Chief Justice Roberts for not being sufficiently conservative; and crudely attacked … Continue Reading
July 21, 2026
Durbin Urges His Colleagues To Oppose Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on his colleagues to vote against the nomination of Todd Blanche to be U.S. Attorney General. During his remarks, Durbin recalled the second day of Mr. Blanche’s nomination hearing, when the Committee convened an outside panel of witnesses to discuss his fitness to serve in this position. One of the witnesses Durbin invited was Dani Bensky—a … Continue Reading
July 20, 2026
On The Senate Floor, Durbin Continues To Call Out Trump For His Election Denialism
WASHINGTON - Following President Trump’s speech on Thursday where he peddled lies about the 2020 election and attempted to sow doubt in the 2026 and 2028 elections, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to debunk the President’s lies about election security. Durbin also called out Republicans’ SAVE America Act, legislation which would make it more difficult for millions of Americans to vote. “In a 25-minute … Continue Reading
July 16, 2026
Durbin Questions Outside Witness Panel For President Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned the outside witness panel for the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States. Durbin began by offering his condolences to witness Jennifer Bos, a mother from Illinois whose daughter, Megan, went missing and was found dead on the property of an undocumented … Continue Reading
July 16, 2026
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement Ahead Of Outside Witness Panel For President Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement ahead of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s outside witness panel for the nomination of Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States. Durbin also introduced the Democratic witnesses: Liz Oyer and Dani Bensky. Ms. Oyer served as the Justice Department Pardon Attorney, a nonpolitical position, until she was fired in … Continue Reading
July 15, 2026
In Front Of Epstein Survivors, Durbin Presses Attorney General Nominee, Todd Blanche, To Meet With Survivors Within The Next 30 Days
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States, Todd Blanche, during his Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing. Durbin pressed Mr. Blanche on whether he would personally meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse within the next 30 days. Following Durbin’s repeated questions, Mr. Blanche would not commit to doing so. “[There are] 10 … Continue Reading
July 15, 2026
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On President Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing for Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States. Before turning to his opening statement, Durbin addressed Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) comments about special prosecutor Jack Smith. Durbin again called for Committee … Continue Reading