Executive Session

Floor Speech

EXECUTIVE SESSION -- (Senate - November 13, 2007)

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I wish to thank Senator Reid and Senator Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, for bringing Robert Dow up for a vote this morning in the Senate. I enthusiastically support his nomination. If confirmed, he will fill a Federal District Court vacancy in Chicago that has been pending for over a year.

Robert Dow is an outstanding lawyer and an outstanding person. We have a process in Illinois that has worked almost flawlessly for the last 11 years, where we have bipartisan cooperation in screening judicial candidates. We have had the cooperation of the White House and leaders on both sides of the aisle, and we have not run into a problem. Robert Dow is the latest example.

Mr. Dow was recommended for this position by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, the Republican leader in our delegation, with the understanding he faced a veto from myself or Senator Obama if we objected. Having met the man, having reviewed his background, there is no objection. He is an extraordinarily gifted and talented person.

He is a partner at one of Chicago's largest and most prestigious law firms--Mayer Brown--and he has been named as one of the 21 leading lawyers in the United States in the field of telecom, broadcast, and satellite.

There are many things you can say about Robert Dow, but I think there is one that stands out, as I reflect on what he had to say to us. Robert Dow has received an accolade that is noteworthy. In 2004, he received the annual Pro Bono Service Award from his law firm, which has over 1,500 attorneys, for his personal commitment to unpaid legal work to help those less fortunate.

That means a lot to me. It says he understands that being an attorney is not just a job, it is a profession, and a profession carries with it social responsibilities. His willingness to help the disadvantaged went a long way in convincing me he will bring to the court the kind of temperament and values which are so important.

The nomination of Robert Dow is a tribute to the successful bipartisan approach and the fact both parties look forward to his tenure on the Federal bench and the contributions he will make. Speaker Hastert, Senator Obama, and I stand today excited about the prospect that Mr. Dow will soon fulfill this vacancy, which has been there for too long.

I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting Mr. Dow to be a district court judge in the Northern District of Illinois.

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