Senators question federal court nominee for Minnesota

WASHINGTON – U.S. Magistrate Judge Kate M. Menendez took questions from U.S. senators Wednesday, marking a major step in the confirmation process as Democrats try to fill a federal court vacancy for Minnesota.

Menendez was among a group of nominees who appeared before the Senate's Judiciary committee as Republicans and Democrats reviewed some of Democratic President Joe Biden's court picks during the first year of his presidency. Biden announced in September that he had nominated Menendez to become a U.S. District Court judge for Minnesota, a move that has the backing of the state's two Democratic senators. Menendez began serving in her magistrate role in 2016, following years of working as an assistant federal public defender.

"I practiced in front of this district court for more than 18 years. I was chosen by this district court to be a magistrate judge, where I've served for five and a half years, and it would be the honor of a lifetime to take a seat among them," Menendez told lawmakers.

Democrats narrowly control the Senate that will decide whether Menendez will be confirmed. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democratic member of the Senate's judiciary panel, urged support for Menendez's confirmation. She said Menendez "has earned a reputation for being a fair-minded, insightful and efficient magistrate [who] consistently applies precedent of the federal district court, Eighth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court."

GOP Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Ted Cruz of Texas questioned Menendez during Wednesday's hearing, though Republicans largely focused on other nominees in front of the committee. Blackburn referenced earlier speeches that she said Menendez had given, later saying "it is of concern that you would seek to use your position on the bench as an advocate."

Shortly after that, Klobuchar asked Menendez a follow-up question involving the nominee's experience as a public defender.

"From the moment I took the bench, I was actually somewhat surprised at how easy it was to leave behind my role as an advocate and to assume the role of judge, where I have to decide the cases before me based on the facts and the law," Menendez said. "Positions that I took as an advocate, my personal beliefs, those things play — and can play — no role in the decisions I make as a judge."