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Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, later today, Senate Republicans will hold the first procedural vote on a judicial nominee in Donald Trump's second term, Whitney Hermandorfer, to be a circuit judge on the Sixth Circuit.

Everyone knows that for Donald Trump's judges, one thing has always mattered most: loyalty to him. Not experience, not independence, not knowledge of the law, not even following the rule of law. When it comes to judges, Donald Trump cares only about one thing: fealty. He doesn't care about the law, precedent, or even what the Constitution says. He only wants them to do whatever he wants, no matter how baseless or irrational it is.

A quick glance at Ms. Hermandorfer's background shows she is unqualified to serve on the bench. She has less than 10 years of legal experience. She has never served as the sole or chief counsel on a single case that was tried to verdict. Indeed, she has made a career out of going after people's reproductive rights, their transgender rights, and anti-discrimination policies.

At the Tennessee Attorney General's Office, she has tried to strike down protections for employees who need reproductive care. She supported Donald Trump's firing of more than a dozen inspectors general, even filing an amicus brief on behalf of Tennessee.

The list of reasons why Ms. Hermandorfer would make a terrible judge goes on and on and on. If Ms. Hermandorfer is the standard for Donald Trump's judges in his second term, then it is clear Republicans learned nothing from the first time around.

The American people don't want Donald Trump's foot soldiers wearing black robes. They want experienced, fair, and independent jurists committed to upholding the law. Ms. Hermandorfer falls way short of the mark, and I oppose her nomination.

Again, when the only criteria for choosing a judge is fealty to Donald Trump, the judiciary runs amok; the judiciary is weakened; and the executive, as they are trying to take away power from the first branch of government, the Congress, is also trying to take away power from the third branch of government, the judiciary, in an effort to make Donald Trump a virtual King. That is what he wants. That is terrible for America and terrible for what this country has always stood for.

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