{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-questions-judicial-nominees-during-senate-judiciary-committee-hearing1", "Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned judicial nominees during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.\n\nDurbin first questioned Judge Daniel Ballou, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, about his concerning comments involving specialty courts. Judge Ballou called specialty courts, such as drug courts, \u201csocial engineering,\u201d and claimed they were \u201cdoing great harm by validating and encouraging excuse making and promoting a lack of accountability.\u201d During his questioning, Durbin noted he disagrees with Judge Ballou\u2019s views on specialty courts. Department of Justice and Government Accountability Office research has shown that drug treatment courts significantly reduce recidivism, save costs for the criminal justice system, and reduce drug use.\n\n\u201cCan you explain that [Judge Ballou\u2019s past statements on specialty courts]?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nJudge Ballou doubled down on his previous comments about specialty courts and noted they are \u201cavenues for excuse makings.\u201d\n\nDurbin then asked Judge Trevor Pemberton, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and Zachary West, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, about their anti-abortion records.\n\nIn 2022 and 2023, Mr. West defended Oklahoma\u2019s draconian abortion restrictions before the Oklahoma Supreme Court\u2014including limitations on medication abortion and a law that would have prohibited nearly all abortions, even if the life of the mother was at stake. Judge Pemberton called this same Oklahoma Supreme Court decision, where a woman has a right to terminate her pregnancy to preserve her life, \u201cremarkably troubling.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan you explain today your thoughts on that issue\u2014and whether there should be an exception to save the life of the pregnant mother?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nMr. West deflected Durbin\u2019s question by stating the topic of abortion is a \u201cpolitical debate.\u201d\n\n\u201cJudge Pemberton, you said that you found that decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court [that a woman has a right to terminate her pregnancy] to preserve her life to be \u2018remarkably troubling.\u2019 Is that your view today?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nLike Mr. West, Judge Pemberton deflected noting that as a judicial nominee, he could not comment on abortion.\n\nDurbin then asked Judge Pemberton about his record advocating against tribal sovereignty.\n\n\u201cCould you please state your position or at least whether you will follow precedent when it comes to tribal sovereignty?\u201d Durbin asked.\n\nDespite his record, Judge Pemberton responded that he is not opposed to tribal sovereignty.\n\nVideo of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available here.\n\nAudio of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available here.\n\nFootage of Durbin\u2019s questions in Committee is available herefor TV Stations.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-questions-judicial-nominees-during-senate-judiciary-committee-hearing1"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6946680843830109, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}