Floor SpeechBipartisan2026-06-01

NOMINATION OF KATHLEEN LANE

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Context

On 2026-06-01, Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) delivered a floor speech titled "NOMINATION OF KATHLEEN LANE" in the Senate.

Full Text

NOMINATION OF KATHLEEN LANE

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2463] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NOMINATION OF KATHLEEN LANE Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nomination of Kathleen Lane, President Trump's nominee to serve as a lifetime appointment and judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. There are more than 3,000 licensed attorneys in the State of Montana. You would believe that the White House in finding a Federal judge for a lifetime appointment would be able to find among those 3,000-plus licensed attorneys in Montana one with experience having served as a judge. Instead, President Trump has selected Ms. Lane. Ms. Lane is not remotely qualified to serve as a district court judge in the Federal system. That is not my opinion; that is the official finding by the American Bar Association. Ms. Lane is the first judicial nominee to receive a ``not qualified'' rating from the ABA during President Trump's second term. As the American Bar Association explained in finding this rating, it is ``based on issues with her experience, which is an important component of competence.'' The organization found that Ms. Lane had failed to gain ``substantial courtroom and trial experience in the less than nine years since she was admitted to the bar.'' As the ABA detailed: Ms. Lane [has] never tried a case as lead counsel, whether civil or criminal. Moreover, as the ABA noted: [I]t appears she has never conducted a direct examination [in a courtroom], picked a jury, or offered an opening statement or a closing argument. Putting this lady on the bench for a lifetime appointment to the Federal court would be like selecting an umpire for tonight's Major League Baseball game who has never even worked a Little League game. Ms. Lane's experience is disqualifying. Now my Republican colleagues may claim that the ABA, American Bar Association, is a partisan organization, but over the past year, the ABA has rated dozens of Trump nominees ``qualified'' or ``well qualified.'' Ms. Lane is the only one who has received a ``not qualified'' rating. Not only has her legal career been extremely brief, but it has also been extremely partisan. Ms. Lane currently works at the Republican National Committee, which President Trump highlighted when he announced her nomination. She certainly may not have courtroom experience, but she has got experience at the so-called MAGA think tank. He claimed, the President claimed, that Ms. Lane ``played a critical role in stopping Voter Fraud . . . at the Republican National Committee.'' He believes that qualifies her for a lifetime appointment to the Federal court. But before she went to work for the Republican National Committee, Ms. Lane repeatedly chose to litigate politically charged issues and worked to limit women's rights, voting rights, and the rights of LGBTQ Americans. Ms. Lane is not the person for this job. She is too ideological, too inexperienced for the role to which she has been nominated. I urge my colleagues to oppose her nomination. ____________________

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NOMINATION OF KATHLEEN LANE Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2463] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NOMINATION OF KATHLEEN LANE Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, the Senate will soon vote on the nomination of Kathleen Lane, President Trump's nominee to serve as a lifetime appointment and judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. There are more than 3,000 licensed attorneys in the State of Montana. You would believe that the White House in finding a Federal judge for a lifetime appointment would be able to find among those 3,000-plus licensed attorneys in Montana one with experience having served as a judge. Instead, President Trump has selected Ms. Lane. Ms. Lane is not remotely qualified to serve as a district court judge in the Federal system. That is not my opinion; that is the official finding by the American Bar Association. Ms. Lane is the first judicial nominee to receive a ``not qualified'' rating from the ABA during President Trump's second term. As the American Bar Association explained in finding this rating, it is ``based on issues with her experience, which is an important component of competence.'' The organization found that Ms. Lane had failed to gain ``substantial courtroom and trial experience in the less than nine years since she was admitted to the bar.'' As the ABA detailed: Ms. Lane [has] never tried a case as lead counsel, whether civil or criminal. Moreover, as the ABA noted: [I]t appears she has never conducted a direct examination [in a courtroom], picked a jury, or offered an opening statement or a closing argument. Putting this lady on the bench for a lifetime appointment to the Federal court would be like selecting an umpire for tonight's Major League Baseball game who has never even worked a Little League game. Ms. Lane's experience is disqualifying. Now my Republican colleagues may claim that the ABA, American Bar Association, is a partisan organization, but over the past year, the ABA has rated dozens of Trump nominees ``qualified'' or ``well qualified.'' Ms. Lane is the only one who has received a ``not qualified'' rating. Not only has her legal career been extremely brief, but it has also been extremely partisan. Ms. Lane currently works at the Republican National Committee, which President Trump highlighted when he announced her nomination. She certainly may not have courtroom experience, but she has got experience at the so-called MAGA think tank. He claimed, the President claimed, that Ms. Lane ``played a critical role in stopping Voter Fraud . . . at the Republican National Committee.'' He believes that qualifies her for a lifetime appointment to the Federal court. But before she went to work for the Republican National Committee, Ms. Lane repeatedly chose to litigate politically charged issues and worked to limit women's rights, voting rights, and the rights of LGBTQ Americans. Ms. Lane is not the person for this job. She is too ideological, too inexperienced for the role to which she has been nominated. I urge my colleagues to oppose her nomination. ____________________