Durbin Statement on First Slate of White House Judicial Nominations

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the White House announced its first slate of judicial nominations: Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals; Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals; Tiffany P. Cunningham, Federal Circuit Court of Appeals; Regina Marie Rodriguez, District of Colorado; Judge Florence Y. Pan, District Court for the District of Columbia; Judge Lydia Griggsby, District of Maryland; Judge Deborah L. Boardman, District of Maryland; Julien X. Neals, District of New Jersey; Judge Zahid Quraishi, District of New Jersey; and Margaret Strickland, District of New Mexico:

“These highly qualified and diverse nominees are clearly worthy to be considered for these important appointments.

“I am particularly heartened by the nomination of Candace Jackson-Akiwumi to an Illinois seat on the Seventh Circuit.  As a former federal public defender, Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi brings with her an important perspective that is a valuable asset to the Judiciary.  Once confirmed, Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi will bring much-needed demographic diversity back to the Seventh Circuit, which currently has no African-American judges.

“I look forward to processing these nominations expeditiously and to hearing from these nominees—along with Kristen Clarke, a leading civil rights attorney and nominee to head the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Todd Kim, an accomplished appellate lawyer nominated to head the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division—at upcoming hearings.” 

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