Senator McConnell welcomed Benjamin Beaton to his Leadership Office in the U.S. Capitol in 2013.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) submitted the following introduction on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 to the members the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in support of President Donald Trump’s nominee, Benjamin Beaton, of Louisville, to serve as a district judge for the Western District of Kentucky:
“Thank you for the opportunity to introduce my fellow Kentuckian, Ben Beaton. President Trump made a smart choice when he nominated Ben to be a judge in the Western District of Kentucky.
“Ben, a Paducah native, graduated from Kentucky’s Centre College where he developed an extraordinary reputation. The school’s president placed Ben in the top two percent of all students he’d known in nearly a half-century as an educator. He went on to excel at Columbia Law School, serving as a law review editor.
“Like many young attorneys, Ben applied for a judicial clerkship. Unlike most of his peers, however, Ben was selected for two premier opportunities with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and in the chambers of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“I’ll be the first to admit I don’t always agree with Justice Ginsburg. However, we both recognize Ben’s impeccable legal ability and potential.
“Following his clerkships, Ben has thrived as a litigator and scholar. He’s handled both high-profile cases and complex legal issues.
“This committee has received letters signed by nearly 200 of Ben’s former coworkers and current colleagues. They’re strong endorsements of his character, legal experience, temperament, and professionalism.
“Those who know Ben call him a ‘phenomenal lawyer.’
“‘A brilliant thinker and a strong writer.’
“‘One of our most talented and versatile litigators.’
“Time and again, they praise his fairness, open-mindedness, and commitment to the rule of law.
“As an adjunct professor and firm partner, Ben is quick to mentor law students, including those who disagree with his viewpoint.
“Even a ‘card-carrying Democrat’ wrote Ben ‘brings a high level of legal sophistication, built on experience…that is rare in a practitioner and will be an asset’ on the federal bench.
“These are the qualities in a nominee each of us should be eager to confirm to our federal judiciary.
“In addition to Ben’s deep study into our own constitutional and legal system, he’s also used his skills abroad. Ben’s wife, Andrea, is an accomplished pediatric cardiologist whose work took them to Uganda as she treated underserved children. While there, Ben volunteered in some of most challenging aspects of the country’s developing legal system. He worked long hours helping widows and orphans prepare the best legal arguments possible.
“This experience, along with his extensive pro bono casework, shows both his compassionate spirit and stellar intellect.
“Now, after years of climbing to the top of his field, I’m glad Ben has chosen to dedicate his considerable talents to public service.
“So, I’d like to congratulate Ben, Andrea, and their four children on his nomination. In today’s hearing, I expect you’ll see firsthand his principles and character. He’ll use them to make Kentucky proud.
“Thank you once again for giving me the chance to introduce Ben to this committee. I look forward to his service to Kentucky and our country.”
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