Senator Dick Durbin, the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks at a committee hearing regarding three nominations: Andrew Tysen Duva for Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, William Jerrol Crain for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and Alexander Coker Van Hook for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
In his statement, Durbin addressed several concerns about recent actions within the Department of Justice. He criticized reductions in staff and resources during the Trump Administration, specifically noting that prosecutors who worked on January 6 cases were dismissed and that public safety resources were redirected toward immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago.
Durbin stated: “Criminal Division prosecutors handle some of the most complex and important cases in this country, including public corruption, child exploitation and child sexual abuse material, white collar crime, money laundering, violent crime; the list is long. This mission used to have bipartisan support, but the Trump Administration has fired dozens of prosecutors simply because they prosecuted January 6 rioters and has gutted key Criminal Division components.”
He highlighted staffing changes in the Public Integrity Section (PIN), saying: “Just look at the Public Integrity Section, also known as ‘PIN,’ which is responsible for investigating and prosecuting public corruption cases… At the end of the Biden Administration, there were about 30 prosecutors in [PIN]. Now, the Section has two [attorneys]. Two.”
Durbin also raised concerns about Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s statements regarding her intentions to influence political outcomes while prosecuting a sitting member of Congress. He referenced his recent conversation with nominee Duva about rebuilding PIN if confirmed: “Mr. Duva, in our meeting this week, you told me you found value in collaborating with PIN attorneys on public corruption cases you prosecuted… So, I want to hear from you how you will rebuild this Section and restore its authority should you be confirmed.”
Referencing data from a Reuters report on prosecution trends under President Trump’s administration—such as declines in drug prosecutions to their lowest levels in decades and decreases in money-laundering and gun crime prosecutions—Durbin asked how Mr. Duva would address these issues: “A recent Reuters article reported that the number of drug prosecutions under the Trump Administration has dropped to the lowest level in decades this year. The number of money-laundering prosecutions has dropped by 24 percent. Nor are gun crimes exempt: felon in possession of a firearm prosecutions have fallen [about] five percent this year. I want to hear from Mr. Duva how he will reverse these troubling trends and how he can divert resources from the Department of Justice to the mass deportation campaign without facing more statistics like these.”
He further questioned whether law enforcement resources were being used effectively: “Where are the Justice Department’s resources going? President Trump’s mass deportations. This isn’t about reducing crime. Despite President Trump’s claims that he is going after the ‘worst of the worst’… [70 percent of the immigrants detained have no criminal convictions].”
On law enforcement deployment practices in cities such as Chicago, Durbin commented: “Let’s be clear about what is happening in places like Chicago: President Trump is abusing his power by shifting Justice Department resources away from keeping the American people safe to fuel his mass deportation campaign. He is deploying federal law enforcement to zip-tie children and teargas peaceful protestors and journalists for political theater, not for public safety. We need Justice Department officials who will honor their oath.”
Addressing threats against elected officials following recent events involving Christopher Moynihan—a participant in January 6 who was re-arrested after making threats against Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries—Durbin emphasized opposition to violence regardless of political affiliation: “Let me close with a point that has been made repeatedly in this Committee. There are some members of this Committee who believe that violence [against] elected officials is inspired by the left... At the outset, I am opposed to violence against public officials and others regardless if it comes from right or left... The point I’m trying to make and want to make clearly—violence, whatever source right or left should not be tolerated by anyone on this Committee.”
Video footage as well as audio recordings from Senator Durbin's opening statement are available online.
