[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 28, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Nomination of Margaret M. Garnett
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, so in a few minutes, we are going to
proceed on the nomination of an outstanding public servant, Margaret M.
Garnett, whom I was proud to recommend to President Biden as district
judge for the Southern District of New York. She is a proud resident of
Brooklyn, a brilliant legal thinker, and someone whose entire life
story has been defined by public service.
She has had more than a decade of experience prosecuting cases,
ranging from murder to robbery, to financial fraud, and more, as part
of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Fifteen times, she has tried a case all the way to jury verdict,
including what was, at the time, the largest tax fraud case in U.S.
history.
But Ms. Garnett is also a fierce defender of the rights of the
accused. She was instrumental in exonerating five individuals wrongly
convicted of murder.
She once said that ``our job is to do justice, and that is a much
broader task and quest than racking up convictions.''
Our courts need more public servants like Margaret Garnett, described
by her colleagues not just as brilliant but wise, not just determined
but kind, not just an outstanding lawyer but a true friend and defender
of our system.
If anyone--anyone--has mastered the recipe for serving as an
excellent jurist, it is certainly Margaret Garnett. So I was eager to
recommend her to the President for the Federal bench, and I am proud to
support the nomination of Margaret Garnett today and encourage my
colleagues to support her as well.
I yield the floor.
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