Meghan Hughes (202) 224-5972 or Kevin Bishop (864) 250-1417

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made this statement on the nomination of Judge David F. Hamilton to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

In June, Graham voted against the Hamilton nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Late yesterday, Graham voted against bringing the nomination to a final Senate vote. The motion passed by a vote of 70-29.

Judge Hamilton has likened the judicial decision-making process to the constitutional amendment process. Hamilton said, "part of our job here as judges is to write a series of footnotes to the Constitution."

Graham said:

"I have tried to be fair to President Obama when it comes to judicial selections. Unfortunately, I find Judge Hamilton's decision-making process to be so far removed from the mainstream that he should be denied promotion to the Court of Appeals."

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