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Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said Thursday on CNN’s “New Central” that there needed to be a ceasefire in Gaza until those who have been kidnapped are released. Anchor Poppy Harlow said, “Two years ago, 2021, during an escalation of violence between Israel and Gaza, you called for a ceasefire, and you said you, ‘couldn’t disagree more with Netanyahu’s policies when it came to the treatment of Palestinians.’ Is a ceasefire needed now?” Durbin said, “I think it is. At least under the context of both sides agreeing. For example, the release of those who have been kidnapped should be part...

I wish the best for Senator Dick Durbin, who has just announced that he has come down with Covid… for the third time in the space of a year. No schadenfreude here over the 78-year-old’s latest bout with the illness. At his age, there's actually a realistic possibility of lethality, unlike healthy non-elderly people, who, nonetheless were locked down in the nation’s bungled response to the virus engineered in China.Unfortunately, I tested positive for COVID-19 today. I'm disappointed to have to miss critical work on the Senate's NDAA this week in Washington. Consistent with CDC guidelines, I'll quarantine at home...

CHICAGO -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said he tested positive Thursday for COVID-19 and was in quarantine with what he described as minor symptoms.The No. 2 Senate Democrat, who said in a statement he was vaccinated and had received two coronavirus booster shots, planned to continue to work remotely.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) will be in the news a lot this month. Beginning March 21, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee will preside over the confirmation hearings for President Joe Biden's Supreme Court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson. Mainstream media outlets have already started praising Durbin for his "historic" role in the confirmation of the High Court's first black female justice, and it's only going to get worse. Last month, the Washington Post published a lengthy profile of Durbin highlighting the career politician's determination to "make history." He could not have asked for a friendlier (as in whitewashed)...

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) argued in a Friday Washington Post op-ed that Attorney General William Barr should recuse himself from matters related to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Durbin argued that Barr's statements and actions since Mueller submitted a final report have put his credibility and independence "in doubt." "For that reason, he must recuse himself from any ongoing investigations involving evidence referred by the special counsel’s office," the second-highest ranking Senate Democrat wrote. Barr is facing building criticism following this week's release of a letter from Mueller showing the special counsel was dissatisfied with the attorney general's handling of...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on Senate Republicans and the White House to allow the FBI to follow the facts where they lead and hold off on scheduling a vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court until Congress and the American people learn what the FBI uncovers.  In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also called out Republicans who have been calling Dr. Blasey Ford’s allegations of sexual assault against Judge Kavanaugh a “smear,” or a calculated and orchestrated political hit.“I believe Dr. Ford,...

WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) pressed Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, to call for an independent FBI investigation into the serious and credible allegations of sexual assault against him.

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee announced dates for the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Brett Kavanaugh:  “This is unprecedented and unfair to the American people.  Senate Republicans want to wrap up Judge Kavanaugh’s hearing before the National Archives releases documents--which Republicans themselves requested--about the work Kavanaugh did in the White House.  These documents may bear directly on the credibility of Judge Kavanaugh’s sworn testimony, not to mention his legal views and temperament.  The American people deserve to know the true story of the man seeking a...

ST. LOUIS—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump announced that he will re-impose nuclear-related sanctions on Iran that were lifted in connection with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement.  In May 2018, President Trump unilaterally pulled the United States out of the Iran Nuclear Agreement.In 2015, Durbin led the effort in the Senate that ultimately allowed the Iran Nuclear Agreement to proceed, securing enough votes to block an effort to derail it. The nuclear agreement with Iran has worked, and continues to work.  For years,...

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Friday that President Trump is “groveling at the feet of our adversaries” shortly after the president called for Russia to be reinstated the Group of Seven (G-7). Durbin in a tweet mockingly quoted Trump saying of himself, “Nobody has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump,” before adding: “Now watch President Trump grovel at the feet of our adversary and punish our strongest allies,” a reference to recent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. While speaking to reporters on Friday prior to departing for Canada to attend the G-7 summit, the president said...

Durbin Calls On President Trump & Republican Majority in Congress to Stand Up to the Gun Sales Lobby, Act to Help Prevent Gun Violence Senator also calls on Gov. Rauner and Illinois General Assembly to pass meaningful state-level gun reforms Following last week’s school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas, which left eight students and two teachers dead and another 13 victims wounded, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed President Trump and the Republican majority in Congress for still being unwilling to push for any gun reforms that the gun sales lobby opposes. “Congress is going to have...

Friday, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) backed up a Washington Post report claiming President Donald Trump referred to certain nations as “shithole countries” in a bipartisan meeting Trump held with members of Congress on immigration policy. Durbin’s remarks were made to reporters and captured by MSNBC’s camera. Durbin also criticized Trump for his use of the term “chain migration” because according to the Senate Minority Whip, it was offensive to African-Americans that “migrated” to the United States chains.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced new legislation to address the growing threat of white supremacist groups and other violent domestic extremists. The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act would enhance the federal government’s efforts to prevent domestic terrorism by requiring federal law enforcement agencies to regularly assess those threats and provide training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement in addressing these threats.According to a May 2017 intelligence bulletin by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), white supremacist extremism poses a persistent threat of lethal violence, and white supremacists...

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the tax plan released this morning by House Republicans: This plan gives massive tax cuts to corporations and the wealthiest individuals while middle class families are left behind. It is based on the mistaken belief that cutting taxes for the wealthiest will benefit everybody else—an assumption that has been proven false each and every time it’s been tested. Eliminating state and local tax deductions will hit Illinois hard—resulting in double taxation for a third of the families in our state.

Democrats are threatening to slow the Senate to a crawl in response to President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, launched the effort by objecting to the Senate GOP's routine request to allow 13 committee hearings to take place on Wednesday. "Because of the decision last night by the president of the United States to terminate the director of the FBI and the questions that its raised we gathered together, the Democratic senators on the floor, and listened as our leader at least suggested a path for us to follow...

SHEPERDSTOWN, WV—U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Democratic Whip and Ranking Member on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, today issued the following statement after President Donald Trump signed executive orders cracking down on immigrant communities, that, among other things, dramatically increase the number of immigration agents and strip federal funding from communities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.   “Creating a mass deportation force and depriving cities of millions of dollars in critical federal funding will make our communities and nation less safe,” said Senator Durbin. “After railing against the use of executive power, President Trump is bypassing Congress...

Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois has written to Pope Francis, criticizing "hateful" public remarks by Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez of Santo Domingo about the openly homosexual US ambassador to the Dominican Republic. The Illinois lawmaker said that the ambassador, James "Wally" Brewster, has shown "patience and professionalism" in the "mean-spirited attacks" by the Dominican cardinal. He appealed to the Pope to stop the cardinal's "intolerant public statements."

House Republicans are no longer a part of negotiations to end the standoff in Washington, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin said Sunday. “We’ve reached the point where House Republicans and their leadership have stepped to the sidelines,” the Illinois Democrat said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” knocking the House GOP for what he characterized as shifting demands. “They’re not part of this,” he said. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), meanwhile, blamed President Barack Obama for the standoff over reopening the government and raising the debt limit. “The president has refused to negotiate,” Portman said. “It’s unbelievable.” Portman also echoed other Republicans...

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, announced on Thursday that a central witness in the September 17 Senate hearing targeting “Stand Your Ground” laws will be Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin’s mother.

Dick Durbin: Are bloggers and tweeters entitled to constitutional protection? Share By Doug Powers • May 26, 2013 05:53 PM **Written by Doug Powers Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin has in the past had a very subjective and abstract view of the Constitution, and on Fox News Sunday he once again wondered which people might be “entitled” to constitutional protections and which people might not: “You’ve raised an important point and I heard Sen. Graham call for special counsel,” Durbin said. “I’m not ready to do this at this moment. I would like to know if Holder has any conflict in...