[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 27, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     Nomination of Marisa T. Darden

  Mr. BROWN. I thank Senator Cotton for working together on this. These 
nominations are very important to our States. I heard Senator McConnell 
earlier talking about crime on the streets, and getting these people in 
place is really important. It has been 473 days since the 6 million 
people in the Northern District of Ohio last had a permanent U.S. 
attorney.
  The pandemic is causing an alarming rise in violent crime, especially 
gun crimes. The Northern District is no exception. The U.S. Attorney's 
Office has experienced its highest caseload in 30 years by filing a 
record 846 indictments in 2021. Even before the pandemic, the district 
had a staggering caseload. Last year, there were 170 homicides in the 
city I live in, the city of Cleveland--another 30-year record--not to 
mention the surge in carjackings. Filling this important law 
enforcement position to keep our community safe is essential.
  I hear from police officers in desperate need of help. They need more 
resources, whether it is bulletproof vests to support local law 
enforcement, operations training to engage with those they serve, or 
getting U.S. marshals and U.S. attorneys on the job. Today, with 
Senator Cotton, we are able to do that.
  We have an extremely qualified nominee ready and eager to serve. 
Marisa Darden is a seasoned prosecutor with extensive experience as the 
lead attorney in both criminal and civil cases. No one has any 
objections to her. Nobody has any doubt about her accomplishments and 
capacity to excel in this job. She was assistant U.S. attorney in the 
Northern District and was recognized for her work on several complex 
legal cases. She received the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking 
Area Award for Outstanding Opioid Investigative Effort. She received 
the Award for Outstanding Investigative Effort--a different one--in 
2019. She has significant management experience and a record of strong 
leadership.
  Federal Judge Benita Pearson said:

       You can be assured Ms. Darden will fiercely enforce the law 
     while treating all--attorneys, staff, the accused, and the 
     community--with respect and appropriate sensitivity.

  Former Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman, a Republican--the last 
confirmed U.S. attorney in the Northern District--described her as an 
attorney ``of outstanding ability and unquestioned integrity.''
  First Assistant Federal Public Defender Jacqueline Johnson wrote her 
first recommendation for a U.S. attorney in 38 years of practice--
imagine that. She said that she ``possesses the intellect, vision, 
temperament, and judgment needed to lead [this] office.''
  DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin echoed those comments, 
saying that ``she is one of the best he has encountered.''
  It is because of these qualifications that Senator Portman has joined 
me in supporting Ms. Darden's nomination.
  Her confirmation would be historic, making her the first African-
American woman to serve as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of 
Ohio.
  Today, we come together to get qualified and talented law enforcement 
professionals on the job. I thank Senator Cotton for his cooperation on 
this, and I thank the Presiding Officer, Senator Baldwin, for her work.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The junior Senator from Arkansas.
  Mr. COTTON. I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to complete 
my remarks before the scheduled vote at 3:30.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.