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Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Judge Moe is another example of President Trump's focus on nominating jurists who rule in favor in big business and conservative special interests, instead of serving as a neutral arbiter on the bench.

In a case involving a Florida law that makes it harder for plaintiffs to prove the amount of damages in a personal injury or wrongful death action, Judge Moe ruled in favor of defendants who sought to apply this law retroactively, despite the clear language of the law stating otherwise.

Her explanation for why she ignored the clear language of the statute strains credulity.

Republicans also claimed that Biden nominees who did not pass the Kennedy bar exam were not fit to serve on the Federal bench.

When asked where the Privileges and Immunities Clause is in the Constitution, Judge Moe could not correctly answer the question, nor could she answer what the Privileges and Immunities Clause does. And when asked about the Privileges or Immunities Clause, she similarly could not recall which amendment it is in, nor could she explain what it does.

As I have said many times before, there cannot be one standard for Democrats and one for Republicans. While the Kennedy bar exam is daunting for many nominees, if failing to answer questions for Biden nominees is disqualifying, the same should be said for Trump nominees.

I will oppose Judge Moe's nomination. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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