Durbin Denounces Trump Loyalist Nominated To The U.S. Court Of Appeals For The Eighth Circuit During Nominations Hearing

Durbin Denounces Trump Loyalist Nominated To The U.S. Court Of Appeals For The Eighth Circuit During Nominations Hearing

Justin Smith, a nominee being considered today to a lifetime position, is a personal attorney to the President, an election denier, and has extensive right-wing political affiliations and ties to dark money entities

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Justin Smith, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit; Jeffrey Kuhlman, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas; Anthony Mattivi, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas; and Anthony Powell to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

During his opening, Durbin spoke against the nomination of another Trump loyalist, Justin Smith. Mr. Smith represents President Trump in two lawsuits filed by E. Jean Carroll. He is also an election denier. In 2020, he signed an amicus brief in Texas v. Pennsylvania, seeking to overturn the results of the election.

Key Quotes:

"Mr. Smith, who we will hear from today, is the second personal attorney of President Trump [that he has] nominated to a circuit court seat, following Emil Bove's nomination last year. Having proven his loyalty to the President, Mr. Smith has been rewarded with a lifetime appointment to the federal bench. In fact, Mr. Smith is so loyal to the President, he continues to represent him in two pending cases before the courts."

"Mr. Smith represents President Trump in two lawsuits filed by E. Jean Carroll. This is not a case where the legal system has been weaponized against President Trump, as he and his MAGA allies have repeatedly claimed."

"In Ms. Carroll's lawsuits, juries found President Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding her nearly $90 million in damages. While all litigants deserve a zealous advocate, Mr. Smith has gone further… when he baselessly dismissed Ms. Carroll's allegations as 'facially implausible' and 'politically motivated.'"

"I would like to address the issue which the Chairman has raised as to whether or not the nominees for lifetime appointments to the federal bench should be asked an unfair question like who won the 2020 election… The popular vote was won not by Donald Trump but by Joe Biden in that election in 2020. That's a fact and we certified that fact on the floor of the United States Senate… Mr. Smith is also an election denier. In 2020, he signed an amicus brief seeking to overturn the results of the election. President Trump continues to deny that he lost the 2020 election, and he has bragged about interfering in this year's midterm elections."

"Mr. Smith has extensive right-wing political affiliations and ties to dark money entities. As just one example, in 2023 Mr. Smith served as the treasurer for the Missouri chapter of Club for Growth Action, a conservative super PAC. What a coincidence it is, then, that the organization spent thousands of dollars on consulting provided by Pervinco, LLC, an entity that Mr. Smith owned. This apparent self-dealing raises serious ethical questions-not the first in this Administration."

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 herefor TV Stations.

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