Congressman Cohen Questions Experts on Judicial Independence

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, today questioned expert witnesses at a Subcommittee on the Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet hearing on "Maintaining Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law: Examining the Causes and Consequences of Court Capture."

During his opportunity to question witnesses, Congressman Cohen said:

"Ever since Bush v. Gore, when the Supreme Court decided to kill the vote count in Florida and elect the Republican candidate for president, the court has lost, and continues to lose, the respect that it once had as an independent body that determined cases by the law instead of by politics."

Noting that few of the judicial nominations by Trump have been African Americans, and no African Americans have been nominated to the Courts of Appeals, Congressman Cohen said: "That is despicable because diversity is an important part of what America's about – giving people opportunity."

Congressman Cohen also noted that nine Trump nominees have been rated "unqualified" by the American Bar Association, seven of whom have been confirmed by the Senate.

See Congressman Cohen's entire questioning of witnesses here.

Today's hearing witnesses were Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and

• Former U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner of Massachusetts

• Professor Tom Ginsburg, University of Chicago

• Professor Amanda Hollis-Brusky, Pomona College

• Ilya Shapiro, Director, Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute

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