Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the nomination of Michelle Friedland to the Ninth Circuit. This nomination was approved in the Judiciary Committee on a strong bipartisan vote of 14 to 3, including support from four Republican members: Ranking Member Grassley, and Senators Hatch, Graham, and Flake. She has earned the American Bar Association's highest rating of ``well qualified.'' If she is confirmed, which I very much hope she is, it would mark the first time ever that the Ninth Circuit, the busiest circuit in the country by some measures, has its full complement of 29 active circuit judges. Michelle Friedland earned her bachelor's degree, with honors and distinction, from Stanford University in 1994. She was Phi Beta Kappa, and became a Fulbright Scholar from 1995 to 1996, studying at Oxford. She earned her law degree from Stanford Law School in 2000, where she was second in her class, graduated with distinction, and inducted into the Order of the Coif. She then had two prestigious clerkships. The first was with Judge David Tatel on the DC Circuit. She then clerked for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who attended Ms. Friedland's confirmation hearing this past November. Although I could not attend that hearing, it said a great deal that Justice O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court and a voice of great moderation and pragmatism on the Court, came to the Judiciary Committee and demonstrated her support in person for this nominee. Ms.…”