Kaine Statement on Filibuster of Pattie Millett’s Nomination to the D.C. Circuit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after a minority in the Senate blocked the nomination of Pattie Millett, of Alexandria, Virginia, to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit: 

“There is simply no excuse for blocking Pattie Millett’s appointment to the federal judiciary. She has served under both Democratic and Republican Solicitor Generals, has argued more cases before the Supreme Court and circuit courts than all but a handful of attorneys and is uniformly praised by bar groups. 

“I am particularly concerned because Ms. Millett is the second supremely qualified woman that Senate Republicans have chosen to filibuster for this court in the ten months I have served in the Senate.    

“Some justify their rejection of Ms. Millett by citing a low workload on this court. This argument is a smokescreen. Three of the D.C. Circuit’s eleven existing seats are vacant. And even though three other circuits currently have lower caseloads per active judge than the D.C. Circuit, just this year the Senate confirmed nominees to two of these other circuit courts. 

“I hope we have the chance to reconsider Ms. Millett’s nomination very soon and will do whatever I can to see that is the case.”

###