this week in the Senate we are calling attention to the unfortunate obstructionism coming from the other side of the aisle when it comes to President Obama's nominations. There are now 101 nominees who have been voted out of committee--most of them with unanimous support but who are languishing on the Senate floor because the Republican minority won't allow them to have a vote. In many cases, they won't even give a reason--they are using anonymous holds. That is fundamentally unfair. Let me speak briefly about a nominee we will vote on today: Marisa Demeo. She was nominated to be an associate judge on the District of Columbia Superior Court. This is a local court here in Washington that primarily hears misdemeanor and felony cases. It is not a Federal court and its judges do not serve lifetime appointments. Marisa Demeo is currently a magistrate judge on this court, and she has an excellent reputation. She is a former Federal prosecutor and was hired by the John Ashcroft Justice Department as an assistant U.S. attorney here in Washington. Before she was a prosecutor, she was a civil rights lawyer in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and at the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, one of the most respected civil rights organizations in America.
Editor's note · Context
Senator Durbin addresses the obstruction of President Obama's judicial nominations by the Republican minority.
Share
More from Dick Durbin
Senate Democrats continue to support the full repeal of Republicans’ disastrous Medicaid cuts and stand united in calling on the Trump Administration to withdraw this harmful rule.
Small businesses need more support right now, and that’s exactly what the EBC is offering.
The Trump administration has not provided transparency into the use of federal funds for the East Wing project, and they have limited congressional oversight, meaningful public input, and adherence to established federal processes.
The 129 responses we received made it clear that this legislation will mean shuttering of services, layoffs, and even hospital closures—meaning patients will needlessly suffer.





