Sen. Cruz Praises President Trump’s Nominations to the Fifth Circuit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today released the following statement after President Trump announced his intention to nominate Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett and former Texas Solicitor General Jim Ho to fill the vacancies in the state of Texas on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:

“I am thrilled to support the nominations of Don Willett and Jim Ho to the Fifth Circuit. I have been close friends with them both for decades, and I know them personally to be brilliant lawyers and principled conservatives.

“For over a decade on the Texas Supreme Court, Don Willett has proven himself to be a jurist of the highest order. His service on the court was simply one more step in a career of public service, from the Texas Governor Office, to the White House, to the Department of Justice, to the Texas Attorney General’s office. Every step along the way, Justice Willett has stood out as man of intellect and principle, and I am excited to see what he will accomplish on the Fifth Circuit.

“Jim Ho has proven throughout his accomplished career that he is a passionate defender of the Constitution and the rule of law. Jim has served with distinction in all three branches of government, including as a law clerk to the great Justice Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court, an official at the Department of Justice, and a chief counsel here in the United States Senate. Jim also succeeded me as Solicitor General of Texas, where he argued some of this country’s toughest cases before its highest courts. I am confident that he will be a stellar jurist and an intellectual force on the court.”

Sen. Cruz also praised the nomination of Kyle Duncan, who previously served as an Assistant Solicitor General of Texas, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, to a seat currently based in Louisiana:

“Kyle Duncan has a proven record of professionalism and fidelity to the Constitution. Our country learned under President Obama just how fast liberty recedes when judges decide cases based on personal preference rather than the law as written. I am encouraged that, with these individuals on the Fifth Circuit, the tide will steadily turn back towards the rule of law. I commend the President for these nominations and hope that my colleagues in the Senate quickly confirm all of them.” 

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