Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor regarding upcoming votes on two circuit court nominations. The nominees are Joshua Dunlap for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and Eric Tung for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Grassley highlighted that, despite a government shutdown led by Democrats, the Senate Judiciary Committee continues its work by holding hearings and advancing judicial nominees.
Discussing Joshua Dunlap’s qualifications, Grassley referenced Senator Collins’ previous comments about Dunlap’s academic achievements, noting that he graduated first in his class from the University of Notre Dame Law School and clerked at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Dunlap has spent over fifteen years as an appellate litigator in private practice. During his confirmation hearing, Dunlap stated, “Mainers are famously independent.” Grassley added that Dunlap believes “the law should be available to all and applied impartially and fairly to every litigant.” Grassley said Dunlap has received support from colleagues at his law school and firm.
Turning to Eric Tung’s background, Grassley noted Tung completed his undergraduate studies at Yale before graduating with high honors from the University of Chicago’s School of Law. Tung clerked for Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court and also worked with Justice Gorsuch both on the Tenth Circuit and at the Supreme Court level. He served as a Bristow Fellow in the Department of Justice’s Office of Solicitor General and was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in California during President Trump’s first administration, handling various criminal cases including firearms offenses, drug trafficking, and fraud. More recently, Tung has focused on civil litigation in private practice and was appointed by California's Chief Justice to serve on an appellate oversight committee.
Grassley emphasized both nominees' strong credentials and broad support among their professional peers: “Like Mr. Dunlap, I believe Mr. Tung will make a phenomenal judge and serve this nation honorably and with distinction.”
He concluded by urging bipartisan support for both candidates as they move forward in their confirmation process.
