Durbin Condemns Blatant Trump Administration Corruption In Senate Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing Opening Statement

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 his perceived enemies. Most recently, Durbin noted that President Trump is selling a $100,000 monthly subscription service for people to get early access to his social media posts. Today’s Committee hearing will consider the nominations of Anna St. John, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; Gregory Cook, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama; Adam Candeub, to be Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division; John Cronan, to be a Member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission; and Jason Manion, to be a Member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Key Quotes: “I have served on this Committee for nearly 30 years. In that time, I have attended countless nominations hearings, which provide an opportunity for members to determine if nominees are qualified for their positions.” “Nominations hearings, like this one today, are an essential part of the Senate’s role in providing advice and consent on presidential nominees. This constitutional duty is a critical check on the Executive Branch. And it has never been more important that the Senate exercise this duty—because we now have a President and an Administration who are determined to use every opportunity to push the bounds of power.” “I do want to say that there are elements underway in this Administration that need to be addressed by Congress, if not, by the courts. [There need to be] dramatic changes [about] corruption. Corruption used to happen behind closed doors—now the doors are wide open. First year in office, second term for Donald Trump was a good year for him—[he received] $1.4 billion at least, some say $2 billion. An amazing amount of money for anyone who would be president of the United States. Unfortunately, the fingerprints on those $2 billion involves the crypto industry… They have their fingerprints on every act of corruption in Washington.” “In closing, I want to note that two of the witnesses before us have been nominated to fill vacancies on the U.S. Sentencing Commission… Members of the Commission are tasked with the delicate responsibility of establishing practices and policies that promote proportionality in sentencing and reduce sentencing disparities.” “Federal judges rely on the Sentencing Guidelines, promulgated by the Sentencing Commission, for one of the most important aspects of their jobs—deciding on an appropriate penalty for a defendant. Thus, it is critical that members confirmed to the Commission have the technical expertise, experience, and understand the gravity their work has on the criminal justice system. I look forward to hearing from the nominees.” 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- Print Email Share Tweet