00:00able to preside, but in the capable hands of my colleague, Peter Welch.
00:05Judge Lopez, would you like to complete that sentence you were starting about
00:10the support you have from prosecutors as well as defenders?
00:14Certainly, Senator, thank you.
00:17What I was indicating is that I have broad support,
00:19including from several victims' organizations,
00:22the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, which represents all of
00:26the domestic violence service organizations in the state of Maine,
00:30as well as the support of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault,
00:33which represents the sexual assault organizations in Maine,
00:37as well as support from prosecutors, law enforcement, and
00:42I believe that is reflective both of the work I did as a prosecutor on behalf of
00:46crime victims and the care that I take with victims in my role as a judge.
00:53And you presided over approximately 21 trials, civil misdemeanor and
00:57felony matters?
00:58Yes, Senator.
00:5970% were jury trials and 30% were bench trials.
01:04And I take it that the endorsements which you receive reflect on your
01:09entire career, not on any one specific case.
01:12That's correct, Senator.
01:13That's the difference between the real world and this committee.
01:17If you have said something in high school in this committee,
01:23be prepared to defend it, and it may define your life for
01:27some members of the committee, not for me.
01:29I think there's much more to life than one ruling or
01:33one observation in an article, or
01:35whether you were an advisory member of some committee.
01:39Ms. Campbell, that's the situation you face, is it not, with this organization
01:43that's been the subject of questioning today?
01:48Could you explain your relationship with that organization?
01:53Thank you, Senator.
01:57Approximately 10 to 15 years ago, I served for a couple of years,
02:04two or three years, on an advisory board for
02:10an organization that was, at that time, getting off the ground.
02:13And I understood it to be a non-profit group that would help low-wage
02:19workers by providing them with information about their legal rights.
02:24And that was something that I supported and volunteered my time for.
02:30In recent years, I have not had any involvement with that group because
02:35I believe that they have strayed into the political sphere,
02:38rather than staying with their original mission to support workers.
02:41And so I'm not involved with them anymore, Senator.
02:47Did you represent them as a lawyer?
02:48No, Senator.
02:50So though your photo may appear at their website,
02:53that does not suggest that you misled this committee?
02:56Correct, Senator.
02:57I do, I'm open in that I served on an advisory board early on in my career.
03:04I wonder how many of us as United States Senators,
03:07where our parties every four years issue a platform, taking positions on issues,
03:12would like to be held accountable for every aspect of those platforms,
03:15because we're members of the party.
03:18It gets right down to it, if I don't write it, and if I don't say it, and
03:21I don't subscribe to it, I shouldn't be held accountable for it, period.
03:26And yet, this seems to be a double standard when it comes to nominees before
03:29this committee.
03:29If you were part of an organization which at any point put out a press release,
03:34you're being asked to defend it.
03:36It's okay to be asked, but I think it reaches a point where it's unreasonable
03:40to subscribe every single thought uttered by some other person as your own.
03:46Each of us have a right to stand up and say what we truly believe in.
03:49Tell me, Ms. Campbell, about your experience when it comes to serving
03:54in court as a lawyer and the kind of support that you have.
03:57Thank you, Senator.
04:01I largely have a plaintiff's side practice, and
04:05it has been my privilege to represent folks from across the state of Tennessee,
04:11a lot of low-wage workers, federal benefit trust funds and
04:18fiduciaries of those funds who are helping to protect pensions for workers.
04:23I have represented victims of crimes.
04:26Recently, I have represented district attorneys general across the state of
04:31Tennessee in civil litigation, and
04:33some of my clients have provided letters to this committee as well.
04:37Do you have the support of prosecutors as well as defense bar?
04:40Yes, Senator.
04:41Those are a matter of record for- Yes, Senator.
04:44Those who want to read them.
04:45Mr. Chairman, I yield.
04:48Thank you, Senator Blackburn.
