Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin questioned several judicial nominees on Apr. 15 about their views on the 2020 presidential election, political affiliations, and press freedom during a committee hearing in Washington.
The Senate Judiciary Committee's work is significant because it affects constitutional protections, civil rights, and public safety nationwide through its legislative and oversight responsibilities, according to the official website. The committee also reviews legislation, oversees federal law enforcement, evaluates judicial nominations, and is composed of senators from both major political parties.
During the hearing, Durbin asked Justin Smith—nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit—if he would acknowledge that President Trump lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. Smith declined to answer this question as well as a follow-up about who won the popular vote in that election. Durbin said, “At the end of this exercise at some point there is going to be a video I’m sure will be released which we’ll watch: the painful explanation by every nominee from the Trump White House for the federal bench as to why they could not answer the basic question every single person in this room knows is true. Donald Trump lost the election in 2020 to Joe Biden. He may have regretted it. He may have denied it, but it is a fact. The reason we continue to engage in these political gymnastics is a question about whether or not you can ever say no to Donald Trump when it comes to any future service. And that is a basic concern.”
Durbin also questioned Smith’s connections with right-wing organizations including his past role as treasurer for Missouri’s Club for Growth Action super PAC and current board memberships with groups linked to Leonard Leo. When asked if he could remain objective given these affiliations, Smith replied that he would be fair and impartial if confirmed.
In addition to questioning Smith, Durbin addressed three nominees for Kansas district court seats: Jeffrey Kuhlman, Anthony Mattivi, and Anthony Powell. Powell was asked about his opposition as a state legislator to tobacco settlement agreements reached after litigation against tobacco companies—a cause championed by Durbin himself—and his comments suggesting such lawsuits could extend into other industries like firearms manufacturing.
Durbin further pressed Kuhlman and Mattivi regarding their roles related to an August 2023 law enforcement raid on Kansas’s Marion County Record newspaper—a case resulting in a $3 million county settlement with an apology issued by officials involved.
The Senate Judiciary Committee operates out of Washington D.C., influences federal law across legal matters nationally according to its official website, serves under leadership from both parties' senators through meetings and hearings overseen by its chairperson; all actions are grounded in upholding constitutional principles.
