Columbia Standard

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, posed questions to witnesses during a bicameral spotlight hearing titled "Restoring Accountability: Exposing Trump’s Attacks on the Rule of Law." The hearing, led by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin, focused on examining the Trump administration's approach to the rule of law.

During the session, Durbin queried Liz Oyer, former head of the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney. Oyer was terminated for not granting actor and Trump "Special Ambassador" Mel Gibson leniency concerning firearm ownership despite a previous domestic violence conviction. Durbin's interrogation centered around President Trump's unconditional pardons linked to the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection.

“It is my understanding that there are guidelines to be considered with pardon petitions,” Durbin stated. He further examined Oyer on her consultation process regarding those pardons, to which Oyer responded, “I was not consulted. No member of my office was consulted about those pardons.” She explained that under normal Department of Justice procedures, each pardon application would receive individual scrutiny before a recommendation was forwarded to the President.

Oyer also highlighted the struggles of many incarcerated Americans whose requests for sentence reductions and clemency are stagnating. She commented on how the clemency process allowed those with inside access to bypass the system. “The only people being considered for clemency were people who had some sort of inside access,” she remarked.

Durbin praised the efforts for transparency and celebrated New Jersey's colleague's recent actions advocating fairness. “He made history. This hearing continues in that spirit. Thank you, all, for your courage in attending,” remarked Durbin.

The spotlight hearing also featured testimony from Ryan Crosswell, a former DOJ Trial Attorney, who resigned over the Trump DOJ's pressure in dropping a corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams. Other witnesses included Rachel Cohen, who resigned from a law firm due to Trump's executive orders against disliked cases, and Stacey Young from the DOJ Civil Rights Division, who founded Justice Connection to support displaced DOJ employees.

Durbin has been active in seeking unanimous consent to pass resolutions reaffirming judicial authority as vested in federal courts, although previously facing opposition from Senate Republicans.