Political Quotes

“I understand a couple of my colleagues are on the way. I will defer to them when they arrive. But I want to thank, first, Senator Stabenow for her statement about Vanita Gupta. This is an extraordinary person. The Presiding Officer, as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was there for her testimony and knows her personally, and I have come to know her. When you read and learn of her personal story, it is amazing, nothing short of amazing. She was 6 months graduated from law school when she was sent down to Texas, a town called Tulia, TX, to tackle an assignment that a veteran civil rights lawyer would have thought twice about tackling. There was a group of over 30 African Americans who had been falsely accused of drug dealing and convicted and were imprisoned when she was sent down there to try to do something after their conviction. It is an incredible story, the courage she showed 6 months out of law school, and she ultimately was successful. Those African Americans and others were pardoned by the Republican Governor of Texas, Governor Perry. They were given a cash award for damages they had suffered as a result of it. Her commitment to civil rights is more than just a cerebral commitment; it is a commitment where she has risked many times her personal safety to show how much she cared for the rights of others. Thank you for saying those kind words about her. I am hoping that the Senate will give her a chance to continue to serve our Nation.…”