Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the upcoming confirmation vote for Whitney Hermandorfer to be Circuit Judge for the 6th Circuit, detailing her lack of experience and extreme loyalty to Donald Trump. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
Later today, Senate Republicans will confirm Donald Trump’s first judicial nominee of his second term: Whitney Hermandorfer to be a Circuit Judge on the Sixth Circuit.
We all know that when it comes to judges, Donald Trump cares only about one thing: total, unyielding fealty to Donald Trump. Not experience. Not judicial independence. Not knowledge or desire to pursue the law. But brazen, uncomplicated fealty to Donald Trump.
That’s how he chooses judges. That’s how people under him choose judges. We’ve never seen this in America.
It could’ve been a judge that Ronald Regan, or someone like George Bush, or H.W. Bush, or Clinton, or Obama appointed. They wanted someone who would have some philosophical kinship with them. But they said, will they follow the law? Do they know the law?
Not this administration. It’s so different than all the others, in a very bad way.
Donald Trump doesn’t care about the law or about what the Constitution says. He says that himself.
He only wants his loyal foot soldiers in black robes, defending him when he tries to do whatever he wants.
Ms. Hermandorfer has failed to show that she can be an independent jurist committed to upholding the law.
She has less than ten years of legal experience.
She has never served as the sole or chief counsel on a single case.
She has made a career out of going after people’s reproductive rights, transgender rights, and anti-discrimination policies.
When nominees like Ms. Hermandorfer are the standard, our courts are weakened, the judiciary runs amok, and the American people are far worse off.
I strongly, strongly, oppose her nomination.
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