Durbin Slams The Trump Administration’s Extreme MAGA Nominees Who Will Help President Trump Further Weaponize The Justice System

Durbin Slams The Trump Administration's Extreme MAGA Nominees Who Will Help President Trump Further Weaponize The Justice System

The Committee also considered the nomination of Colin McDonald to be an Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today's Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting slamming the Trump Administration for nominating extreme and unqualified nominees. During his opening, Durbin also condemned the Trump Administration for nominating Colin McDonald to be an Assistant Attorney General for the newly created National Fraud Enforcement Division. Over the last year, the Administration has systematically dismantled offices in the Justice Department that address fraud.

Key Quotes:

"This Committee will consider nominees who will help the President as he approaches his take on our justice system. Colin McDonald is nominated to head the so-called 'National Fraud Enforcement Division,' which the Administration created out of thin air. There are already offices in the Justice Department responsible for investigating and prosecuting fraud. But over the last year, the Trump Administration has systematically dismantled these offices."

"Meanwhile, the President has engaged in an unprecedented fraud spree, more than doubling his net worth since returning to office… Fraudsters who make massive contributions to the President are regularly rewarded with pardons."

"When the White House announced the creation of the new Fraud Division, Vice President Vance claimed that it would be 'run out of the White House' under his and President Trump's supervision. Can anyone with a straight face argue that this new Division, operating under the President's thumb, will be a nonpartisan law-enforcement agency? Clearly, the real purpose of the Division is to weaponize fraud enforcement against the President's opponents."

"Last month, I wrote to Attorney General Bondi seeking more details about the new Division. She still hasn't responded… The Committee should not consider this nomination [Mr. McDonald] until these questions are addressed."

"As I said last week, President Trump is nominating these January 6th apologists to help interfere in the 2026 elections. The President isn't hiding it. He told us, 'We should take over the voting… Republicans ought to nationalize the voting.' Senate Democrats will do everything in our power to resist this."

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.

Durbin then spoke against Mr. McDonald.

"One thing is clear: [Mr. McDonald] is more committed to scoring political points for the President than he is to fighting waste, fraud, and abuse. Mr. McDonald supervises the so-called 'Weaponization Working Group,' which he co-led with disgraced nominee Ed Martin prior to his demotion due to alleged improper handling of grand jury materials."

"The Working Group also employs the infamous Jared Wise… He stormed the Capitol on January 6 and was charged with assault after encouraging rioters who were attacking the police by yelling, 'Yeah, f*** them! Yeah, kill 'em!' During his hearing, Mr. McDonald repeatedly refused to confirm whether he ever witnessed members of the Weaponization Working Group violate the Justice Department Manual or the law. And he refused to condemn Mr. Wise's continued employment."

"Mr. McDonald has demonstrated that he is unwilling to stand up to President Trump [and his] Administration [of] grifters."

Durbin then spoke against Dan Bishop, nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. Mr. Bishop is another MAGA extremist who has never been a prosecutor. On January 6, 2021, Bishop, when he was a member of the House of Representatives, voted against certifying the 2020 election results. He falsely claimed the "Democrats' attack on our elections was not minor or sporadic. It was coordinated & widespread." Even today, Mr. Bishop refuses to disavow debunked crackpot conspiracy theories about January 6.

"As Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget… Mr. Bishop was Russ Vought's right-hand man, wreaking havoc across the federal government. Mr. Bishop played a key role in OMB illegally withholding and restricting funding that had already been appropriated by Congress. I am equally troubled by his long history opposing LGBTQ+ rights."

"Mr. Bishop also opposed the Respect for Marriage Act. This legislation passed both chambers of Congress on strong bipartisan votes."

"He does not have the requisite experience to serve as U.S. Attorney. Do you know what percentage of his legal work had been in the criminal proceedings? [Only] three percent. And he had never served as a prosecutor prior to becoming the interim U.S. Attorney."

"We know why he [Mr. Bishop] was nominated by President Trump. He is yet another MAGA extremist."

Video of Durbin's remarks about Mr. McDonald and Mr. Bishop are available here.

Audio of Durbin's remarks about Mr. McDonald and Mr. Bishop are available here.

Footage of Durbin's remarks about Mr. McDonald and Mr. Bishop are available herefor TV Stations.

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