Cornyn Statement on Committee Passage of Southern District of Texas Judicial Nominations

Cornyn Statement on Committee Passage of Southern District of Texas Judicial Nominations News Cornyn Statement on Committee Passage of Southern District of Texas Judicial Nominations June 18, 2026 WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved President Trump’s nominations of John George Edward Marck to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas – McAllen Division and Arthur Roberts “Rob” Jones to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas – McAllen Division. Video of Sen. Cornyn introducing Marck and Jones in the Senate Judiciary Committee can be found here . “John Marck and Rob Jones have distinguished records of holding dangerous criminals accountable and enforcing the laws on the books to keep Americans safe and our southern border secure,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I was proud to recommend these astute Texans to President Trump, and I look forward to seeing them serve on the federal bench.” Sens. Cornyn and Ted Cruz (R-TX) recommended John George Edward Marck and Arthur Roberts “Rob” Jones to President Trump following an extensive review and interview process of the candidate pool by the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee (FJEC). The Senators established the FJEC, a bipartisan panel of leading attorneys in Texas, to help identify the most qualified candidates to fill judicial vacancies. The panel reviewed applications, interviewed candidates, and made recommendations to the Senators, who interviewed individuals before making their recommendations to the President. John G.E. Marck began his career as an Assistant District Attorney in New York City where he prosecuted a high-volume caseload of major felonies, including murder, manslaughter, robbery and gang assault. He entered the Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Corpus Christi and Victoria Divisions of the Southern District of Texas and managed a diverse criminal docket that included charges of illegal reentry following deportation, alien smuggling, drug trafficking and other cartel-related offenses. Marck continued his federal prosecution career in the National Security and Public Corruption Section and was later promoted to Associate Deputy Criminal Chief before being named First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the district. Rob Jones started his career in 2002 as a line Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the office’s Laredo Division, where he handled all aspects of border related crime. In 2011, he joined the office’s Houston-based Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces. Just prior to his appointment as Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jones served as the deputy chief of the National Security and Public Corruption section. Prior to becoming an AUSA, Rob served on active duty as a judge advocate and officer in the U.S. Air Force’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps from January 1995 to September 2002, specializing in criminal litigation. He separated from the Air Force in September 2002 to become an AUSA but continued to serve as a judge advocate in the Air Force Reserve until his retirement in February 2023.