Durbin Slams Trump’s Nearly $2 Billion Slush Fund For January 6 Insurrectionists & Trump Allies During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

Durbin Slams Trump's Nearly $2 Billion Slush Fund For January 6 Insurrectionists & Trump Allies During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

During his opening statement at a nominations hearing, Durbin also denounced the Trump loyalists appearing in Committee today including two circuit nominees, nominee to be Inspector General in DOJ

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, criticized the Trump Administration's misuse of taxpayer dollars to line the pockets of January 6 insurrectionists and Trump's political allies through a nearly $2 billion Department of Justice slush fund.

Today's nominations hearing includes Benjamin Flowers, to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; Matthew Schwartz, to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; and, Don Berthiaume, Jr., to be Inspector General in the Department of Justice. During his opening statement, Durbin also denounced the lifetime nominations of Mr. Schwartz and Mr. Flowers. Mr. Schwartz continues to represent the President in two pending cases. That includes the appeal of a New York State jury verdict finding President Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, stemming from a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Mr. Flowers filed a Supreme Court amicus brief supporting the President's unconstitutional attempt to limit birthright citizenship.

Key Quotes:

"Imagine if Joe Biden went this far [with a DOJ slush fund]. Would we have a hearing in the Judiciary Committee? I certainly know we would and you do too. Will there be a hearing in this Committee when it comes to this new slush fund which [stated] 'forever bar[red] and preclude[d] from prosecuting or pursuing… claims against President Trump, related individuals-including, without limitation, family and filing jointly.' It's a get-out-of-jail free card forever."

"Just last week, the President posted another rant on social media, lambasting judges who had the audacity to follow the law instead of catering to his whims. After claiming his Supreme Court appointees have 'shown so little respect' because they ruled against him, President Trump said federal judges should 'be loyal to the person that appointed them.' In fact, judges take an oath that they will administer justice 'without respect to persons' and 'will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties…under the Constitution and laws of the United States.' Nowhere in the oath does it say that judges are beholden to the president who nominates them."

"Nonetheless, President Trump continues to nominate his personal attorneys to serve as judges. Matthew Schwartz, who we will hear from this morning, is the third personal attorney of President Trump who he has nominated to a circuit court seat, following the nominations of Emil Bove and Justin Smith."

"For aspiring judges not lucky enough to become one of the President's personal attorneys, they can jockey for President Trump's support in another way: supporting his baseless legal arguments. Benjamin Flowers, who is also before us today, fits that bill. In one amicus brief, he challenged Pennsylvania's administration of the 2020 election. Why? Because President Trump lost the popular vote in Pennsylvania and was trying to overturn the results."

"President Trump is disappointed in the Supreme Court Justices he appointed during his first term. While they are reliable and conservative, they occasionally rule against him. For Donald Trump, this is an unforgivable act of disloyalty. So, in his second term, he demands that his appointees bend a knee, kiss the ring, and demonstrate their blind loyalty to him. President Trump is now putting forward nominees who have shown that they are willing to ignore the rule of law so long as they follow his agenda."

"That is in direct conflict with what is required of federal judges. We should have confidence that jurists will be neutral arbiters who rule without fear or favor. But I am deeply concerned that President Trump tapped today's nominees because he believes that they will 'be loyal to the person that appointed them.'"

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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