Washington, DC – Speaking from the floor of the U.S. Senate today,
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that he would vote to support Solicitor General Elena Kagan to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Senator Cardin’s full statement and video of his remarks can be found at
cardin.senate.gov
.
“After questioning Solicitor General Kagan, and listening to her testimony, I am convinced that she has a clear understanding of how profound an impact her future decisions may have on the lives of everyday Americans. I am confident that she will put the interests of the American people and justice for the American people first above popular opinion or politics.
“As Solicitor General Kagan said in her opening statement to the Committee, equal justice under law ‘means that everyone who comes before the Court – regardless of wealth or power or station – receives the same process and protections … it promises is nothing less than a fair shake for every American.’ I could not agree with her more. The Constitution protects us from the abuses of power, whether those powers are generated by government or powerful special interests. The Supreme Court was designed to be the protector of our constitutional rights.
“During the confirmation hearings, I expressed my concerns about recent Supreme Court decisions where an activist court, by the narrowest of margins – usually 5-4 – reversed precedent and legislated from the bench. If you work for a living, if you're a woman, if you vote, if you care about the air we breathe or the water you drink, if you're a consumer, you need to be concerned about the actions of this Supreme Court.
“Next Tuesday, I will vote in the Judiciary Committee to confirm Elena Kagan to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. I look forward to when each member of the United States Senate will have an opportunity to vote on her nomination. I hope it will be an overwhelming confirmation for her to serve the American people on the Supreme Court of the United States.”
