Chairman. Good afternoon, Judge. Thank you for being here. Thank
you to your family and thank you to President Biden.
For his vision and wisdom and courage.
In nominating you.
First on a personal note for all of your extraordinary
Accomplishments and your immense distinction you have shown to qualities
That are rare among powerful accomplished.
People, kindness and humor.
And you're obviously a good listener because you're doing a lot of
listening here today.
All right.
As you've seen, we're likely to
Here more than a few straw man today.
Warren talking points imagined grievances, but this hearing really
should be about you.
Not about us.
Historic is a word, often overused in this place where a lot of history
Is made, but today seems truly to merited.
Certainly it is an inflection point.
An inflection Pinnacle.
For our nation, the appointment of a black woman to the United States
Supreme Court. Let's be very blunt.
Should have happened years ago.
This day is a giant leap into the present for our country and for
the court.
The appointment of a black woman to the court.
Means that you're
Service will make the court look more like America.
Hopefully to it will make the court think more like America.
We will never know in detail all of the challenges and obstacles
that you've overcome.
To be here today.
But we know for sure that you will bring an important perspective,
in fact, a unique perspective.
To a court that deeply needs it.
Representation matters for the legitimacy and credibility.
Of our judicial system. Judges are the faith and voice.
Of justice. People walking into
Your courtroom or any other in this country. Look to the human being.
Not just to the robes.
Too often, our courts are isolated, seemingly sterile marble halls
lacking emotional intelligence.
Or sensitivity to the impact they have on people.
The fact that you clearly and dramatically
Understand.
What really knocked me over in our meeting was the fact that
You discussed your job as a judge.
In terms of the people who are affected by your rulings, the people
whose lives are touched.
By the justice system, whether it's victims as criminal defendants.
Whereas people dealing with a personal or professional conflict.
You will be the first public defender on the court.
You understand our justice system uniquely through the eyes of people
who couldn't afford a lawyer, they couldn't afford their own lawyer.
And you
Advocated for them.
You will also bring the court extraordinary intellect.
And character as well as diverse, personal and indeed.
Professional experience. Your presence will ensure the court more
fully and deeply understands the lives and experiences.
Of everyday Americans. You grew up as a daughter of two public servants.
Public school teachers and administrators.
The niece of uncles who have impressive law enforcement.
Careers, including one as Miami's chief of police, and you also have
family members who have struggled as do
Every American
And you've advocated for defendants standing accused of serious crimes,
as well as sentencing defendants who have been convicted.
Of such crimes. You are immensely devoted parents.
Who has achieved by popping
Professional distinction.
You've had a long career already as a distinguished jurist.
In fact, you would bring more experience as a trial judge than any
current justice on the Supreme Court.
I'd like to address directly
The importance of your work as a public defender. I was a prosecutor
and law enforcement for awhile. Four years as U. S attorney and
20 years as Connecticut's attorney general.
And as a prosecutor, I know
The system works best when there are good lawyers on both sides.
My worst nightmare is a prosecutor.
Was the defendant representing himself.
My second worst nightmare.
Was an incompetent counsel representing the defendant.
Because I know effective representation on the other side means
More likely an error free.
Trial.
I'd also like to
Address an issue that's been raised.
First by Senator Durbin and then by Senator Graham. I'm likely to
be followed by
One or more colleagues who have raised allegations
About your record that are simply unfounded, In fact, and indeed
irresponsible there unproven and unprovable.
They're simply false.
One of the first lessons
That you learn as a prosecutor is never to promise a jury evidence.
That you don't have.
There is simply no evidence to support these unfounded attacks. In
fact, a commentary in the National Review
Decided by Senator Durbin said.
About those allegations they are meritless.
To the point of demagoguery.
Importantly, your record as the jurors also reveals impartiality.
You're approving unifier.
And a consensus builder, someone who can build bridges among colleagues.
Even adversaries.
Not surprisingly, you've been confirmed.
On a bipartisan basis three times by the Senate.
Received glowing endorsements from former judges.
Star wars of the conservative movement. The court needs a bridge
builder.
Now, more than ever, it has become more polarized, more politicized,
more divided than at any point in our history.
And it faces a crisis of legitimacy.
As a result.
Dark money. Special interest groups have sought to radically reshaped
the court.
Their recent selection of justices was to a remarkable degree.
Outsource to ideological groups with the express aim of remaking
the court.
In the image of the far right conservative movement.
This court has signaled
That it will continue to overthrow well established precedents.
After disingenuously promising US members of this committee
That it would respect those precedent.
And instead it
Threatens to adopt preferred policy views.
I revere.
The United States Supreme Court. I clerked for justice myself, Harry
Blackmun argued four times before the court. I'm deeply concerned.
That
This court.
Is careening toward a precipice that will gravely threatened
Its role in our history, but it is out of step with America.
And that it is losing the trust and respect of the American people
that are essential to it authority.
Trust in the United States Supreme Court is that a new law?
A new law.
The Supreme Court has no armies, no police force to enforce its decisions.
Its authority depends on its credibility and the respect and trust
of the American people.
My hope is that you will help
To restore that trust that you will re inspire the confidence of
the American people.
In the court.
I traveled, as did my colleague, Senator Klobuchar to Poland just
a week ago.
And I saw people
Fleeing bombs and destruction.
People.
Mostly women and Children, who wanted nothing more than the kinds
of freedoms
That we have in this country.
We have an obligation to preserve them.
And my hope is that your nomination will help us do so. Thank you.
I look forward to your