Durbin: Judge Jackson Represents the Best of the Judiciary

WASHINGTON – Ahead of her confirmation today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor in support of Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, highlighting her impressive career—from her judicial clerkships to her work as a federal public defender to her tenure on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Durbin called on his Senate colleagues to vote in favor of her nomination, emphasizing her judicial record, her expertise in sentencing matters, and the support she enjoys from legal advocates across the ideological spectrum. Judge Jackson was confirmed with a bipartisan vote of 53-44.

“She clerked on the federal district court, the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and for Justice Breyer on the United States Supreme Court – a strong resume. She’s worked at several prominent law firms, handling trial and appellate work, but her true calling has been public service,” said Durbin. “In the early 2000s, Judge Jackson worked on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and later served as a federal public defender in Washington, D.C. This experience inspired President Obama to nominate her to serve as Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Sentencing Commission. In the Senate, her nomination received unanimous support. A few years later, Judge Jackson came before the Senate again when President Obama chose her to fill a vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Once again, she was confirmed with unanimous support.”

“She represents the best of the judiciary – humble, hardworking. She’s written nearly 600 opinions, and each is guided by the same principles of fairness, impartiality, evenhandedness, and an unyielding fidelity to the law,” Durbin continued. “It’s no surprise that she received the grade of unanimously well-qualified from the American Bar Association.”

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

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

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV stations.

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