Senate votes to confirm two judicial nominations

The Senate voted to confirm two judicial nominations Monday.

The Senate approved Thomas Durkin to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois and Fernando Olguin was approved to be a U.S. District judge for the Central District of California by voice vote.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Durkin was a bipartisan pick for the judicial position.

“Tom Durkin has all of the necessary attributes to make an effective federal court judge,” Durbin said on the floor before the vote Monday. “He’s demonstrated strong leadership in his community.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said President Obama has had the most post-election judicial confirmations in history.

Durkin’s nomination was supposed to get a roll call vote, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) asked that both nominees receive voice-votes after he broke the news that Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) died Monday afternoon.

---