Judiciary Committee Advances Nominations of Two Circuit Court Judges, Three District Court Judges, and Three U.S. Attorneys

WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nominations of John Z. Lee, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit; Salvador Mendoza, Jr., to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; Stephen Henley Locher, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa; Nancy L. Maldonado, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; and Gregory Brian Williams, to be United States District Judge for the District of Delaware.

Lee received a vote of 12-8-2; Mendoza received a vote of 11-9-2; Maldonado received a vote of 13-9; and Williams received a vote of 11-9-2.  Locher was advanced by voice vote.

The Committee also advanced the nominations of Joshua D. Hurwit, to be United States Attorney for the District of Idaho; Gerard M. Karam, to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; and Jacqueline C. Romero, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, by voice vote.

Ahead of the vote, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke to the qualifications of two of today’s nominees from Illinois.

Key Durbin quotes:

“Born to Korean parents—his mother and father were a coal miner and a nurse—Judge Lee came to this country as an immigrant at the age of four.  His family settled into a one bedroom apartment in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago.”

“In 2012, President Obama nominated him to the Northern District of Illinois.  When he was confirmed by voice vote, Judge Lee became the first Korean American to serve as an Article III judge in Illinois… His nomination to the Court was historic, and if confirmed, would make history again as the first Asian American judge to serve on the Seventh Circuit.”

“Born in Illinois… [Nancy Maldonado] came back to clerk for Judge Rubén Castillo on the Northern District for two years [and] stayed in practice in Illinois ever since.  For the last 19 years, she’s worked in private practice, specializing in employment, civil rights, and fraud litigation.”

“Throughout her tenure on the Illinois State Police Merit Board, [Ms. Maldonado] has also worked to ensure that the police protect and serve to the best of their ability.”

“Both of these nominees have the strong support of myself and Senator Duckworth.”

Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

-30-