Washington, DC –
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cast his vote today to confirm Solicitor General Elena Kagan as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice Kagan is just the fourth woman ever to be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
“Solicitor General Elena Kagan has the experience, the intelligence, the integrity, and the temperament to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She handled the Senate's interrogations with a calm demeanor and good humor which I think will serve her well in her new position on the Supreme Court.
“I voted for Solicitor General Kagan’s nomination because, after private meetings and three rounds of public questions, tens of thousands of pages of documents and third-party testimony, I firmly believe that Associate Justice Kagan will follow in the best traditions of the Supreme Court. She will abide by legal precedent, give due deference to Congress, and protect the rights of Americans against the abuses of power.
“Solicitor General Kagan’s confirmation hearing shined a much needed spotlight on the Supreme Court and the real consequences its decisions have on the lives of every day Americans. I have been concerned, and I think my constituents have been concerned, about the growing number of 5-4 decisions where the majority of the so-called conservative justices legislated from the bench on the side of powerful corporate interests over protecting ordinary citizens.
“I have no illusions that Justice Kagan’s appointment will change the overall political makeup of the High Court, but I do believe that her skills and experience as a consensus builder who can reach across ideological boundaries will have a positive influence on the Court and its consideration of future cases.”
