Committee Vote Underscores Serious Concerns about McConnell Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C.--Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), made the following statement on today's Senate Judiciary Committee vote to advance John J. "Jack" McConnell's nomination for a judgeship on the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to the full Senate:

"While the outcome of the Senate Judiciary Committee's 13 -- 6 vote today to approve the nomination of John "Jack" McConnell was not unexpected, we were encouraged by the vocal concerns raised by members of the committee about his fitness to serve a lifetime appointment to the federal bench.

"Specifically, these members voiced concerns that we share about Mr. McConnell's questionable 'results-oriented' judicial philosophy, his deeply held biases against America's job creators, his outsized political contributions and related concerns about "pay-to-play" activities, and his future conflict of interest related to annual multi-million-dollar payments from his work with plaintiffs' law firms.

"Members of the Judiciary Committee have also expressed a need to gather further information from Mr. McConnell as his nomination moves to the floor, and we fully support that effort.

"The U.S. Chamber's consideration of a full Senate vote on McConnell as part of our legislative scorecard underscores our ongoing concerns with, and opposition to, this nominee. We will continue in our efforts to vigorously oppose his nomination."

ILR seeks to promote civil justice reform through legislative, political, judicial, and educational activities at the national, state, and local levels.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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