Durbin Slams Judiciary Committee Republicans For Violating Committee Norms To Fast-Track Judicial Nominations

November 10, 2026 Durbin Slams Judiciary Committee Republicans For Violating Committee Norms To Fast-Track Judicial Nominations To fast-track unqualified MAGA extremist nominees, the Chairman is violating multiple Committee norms, all without the consent of the minority WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, slammed Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans for violating numerous longstanding Committee standards to fast-track unqualified MAGA extremists, all without the consent of the minority. These actions include holding nominations hearings less than two weeks apart on November 10 and 18; slating nominees for the November 18 hearing despite receiving Senate Judiciary Questionnaires (SJQ) less than 28 days in advance; slating nominees for hearings even if their FBI background investigations have not been cleared by staff in advance; and slating as many as seven nominees for a single hearing. During his opening, Durbin criticized Republicans for fast-tracking Elliot Gaiser, reportedly nominated to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, for a hearing on November 18. Mr. Gaiser is one of President Trump’s former campaign lawyers who advanced baseless legal arguments to try to overturn the 2020 election. In his current role as head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, Mr. Gaiser issued an opinion claiming that the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional and signed off on the creation of the infamous January 6 slush fund. Durbin also spoke out against a Texas Supreme Court Justice, James Sullivan, whose paperwork to be considered for a federal district judgeship was submitted to the Committee a day after he lost his re-election bid last Tuesday. Sullivan will also be slated for the November 18 hearing to be considered for a judicial vacancy in the Western District of Texas. Durbin also criticized Republicans for continuing to withhold from Democrats committee records that Republican Senators used to question Special Counsel Jack Smith, including texts regarding Mr. Smith’s attendance at a basketball game. These records, which were used to justify unfounded accusations of perjury and personal attacks on Mr. Smith, are being withheld from the minority in violation of Senate rules and longstanding Committee practice. By departing from the Committee’s longstanding oversight and nominations practices, Republicans are setting precedents allowing future Democratic chairs to withhold committee records from Republicans and fast-track judicial nominees. Key Quotes: “Last week, on Election Day, the American people rejected this Administration’s corruption and cruelty overwhelmingly. President Trump responded to this stunning rebuke of his leadership by doubling down. He made baseless claims that the Democratic landslide was a result of fraud with no evidence forthcoming; he promoted Stephen Miller, the architect of the mass deportation campaign that led to the deaths of [Renée Good and Alex Pretti]. He is now chief of staff for the President of the United States. [Trump] ordered the Justice Department to criminally investigate members of Congress simply for conducting oversight hearings. Thanks to Republicans, President Trump has a loyalist as his Senate-confirmed Attorney General to carry out his [illegal] orders.” “Unfortunately, it appears our Republican colleagues, who I thought learned a lesson from last Tuesday’s election, did not get the message… The Republican majority on this Committee continues to withhold Committee records that Republican Senators used to question Special Counsel Jack Smith. He appeared before this Committee under oath and testified. Now, the information that was used to attack him in the hearing, which we have requested and is routinely turned over, has been withheld in violation of Senate rules and longstanding Committee practice.” “The majority is also violating numerous longstanding [Committee] standards in a desperate attempt to confirm the [un]qualified loyalists to lifetime appointments before Democrats take the majority. By departing from these practices, Republicans are further undermining the Committee’s ability [to carry out its constitutional oversight and advice and consent roles]… We cannot have one set of rules for Republicans and another for Democrats.” “It’s not too late to change course. If [Republicans] are listening to the American people, I would suggest that you abandon these efforts [and instead] hold our regular DOJ oversight hearings; that we hold a hearing finally with Big Tech CEOs… and we need respond to Senator Curtis’s request for a bipartisan investigation of the Trump family’s famous wedding reception paid for by a Russian oligarch.” “Mr. Chairman, there are many things we still can do… One of them is not to expedite nominees who have not been carefully vetted. I hope we don’t accept that as a standard in this Committee.” 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