***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Floor Speech HERE***
Washington, D.C. – This evening, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), delivered remarks on the Senate Floor ahead of a vote to advance the nomination of Rebecca Pennell to be a U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Washington. The Senate will hold the final vote on the confirmation of Judge Pennell tomorrow.
If Judge Pennell is confirmed, Senator Murray will have recommended and successfully secured the votes to confirm ten federal judges from Washington state to lifetime appointments under the Biden-Harris administration—including a Judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, seven District Court Judges in the Western District of Washington, and two District Court Judges in the Eastern District of Washington (Judge Pennell and Judge Dimke). Senator Murray’s process for recommending candidates for the federal bench has been lauded as a national model for senators to replicate—for its emphasis on diversity of professional experience and background.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered just now on the Senate Floor, are below:
“Mr. President, I was very proud to recommend Judge Rebecca Pennell to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge in the Eastern District of Washington.
“And I was honored to introduce her at her confirmation hearing—where she demonstrated her extensive legal knowledge, and deep commitment to making sure equal justice is there for all who come to her courtroom.
“I am thrilled to rise today to strongly urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting for her confirmation.
“I want to emphasize—especially for my colleagues across the aisle—that just like the other nine federal judges we have confirmed at my recommendation, Judge Pennell has been vetted and endorsed by my state’s nonpartisan judicial merit selection committee. This is a committee made up of both Democratic and Republican legal experts.
“A review of Judge Pennell’s record—and the many letters of recommendation that came with her nomination—make it easy to see why the Committee put her name forward.
“In letter after letter, people from different perspectives—prosecutors, law enforcement officials, judges, and many others—describe Judge Pennell with the same high praise: ‘fair,’ ‘insightful,’ ‘professional,’ ‘prepared.’
“In other words, she is a qualified and deserving pick to entrust with upholding our nation’s laws and protecting our citizens’ rights.
“I’m especially pleased to say that Judge Pennell’s roots in Washington state run as deep as her impressive legal knowledge.
“She grew up in Richland, where her father worked at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. She attended the University of Washington, returned from Stanford Law to clerk for District Court Judge Whaley in Spokane, and has been an active and respected member of our state’s legal community ever since.
“It is important that we have a court system that delivers justice for everyone, not just the powerful and well-connected.
“We have to make sure every person has their rights protected, and no person is above the law.
“That requires a judge who carefully reviews each case on its merits, shows a deep understanding of the law and respect for everyone who appears before them, and appreciates how their decisions will affect the lives of people across Washington state.
“Some of the best and brightest legal minds in Washington state have made clear they think Judge Pennell is exactly that kind of judge. And having viewed her record, I completely agree—and strongly urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting to confirm her.”
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