Alex Padilla: “I rise today in support of the nomination of Judge Lucy Koh to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.…”

“I rise today in support of the nomination of Judge Lucy Koh to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Judge Koh is an outstanding legal thinker and a trailblazing public servant. Her commitment to equal justice for all has earned her support on both sides of the aisle. From her first judicial appointment by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to her unanimous Senate confirmation to serve as a Federal district judge in California, to her strong bipartisan advancement recently from the Senate Judiciary Committee for this appointment, Judge Koh has a reputation for excellence that stretches far and wide. She built this reputation over the course of a stellar legal career that started right here in this Senate, as a women's law and public policy fellow with the Senate Judiciary Committee. She then spent 7 years with the U.S. Department of Justice, earning numerous accolades for her work, including an FBI award for excellence in prosecuting major fraud. From the Department of Justice, Judge Koh made her way to California--to Silicon Valley, specifically--where she made a name for herself as an expert litigator on intellectual property cases. In 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger, as I mentioned, appointed her to the California Superior Court. Just 2 years later, President Obama nominated Judge Koh to the Federal District Court bench, and she was confirmed unanimously by this Senate.…”