Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) applauds Native federal judge
Channel: indianz
Date: 22/10/2021

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) speaks in support of the confirmation of Lauren King to serve as a federal judge in Washington state.

King, an attorney, is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation. She is the first Native person to serve on the federal bench in Washington and only the second Native woman in the entire federal judiciary.

“As a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, Ms. King will be the first Native American Federal Judge from my home state, and only the sixth ever Native judge in our country's history,” Cantwell said on October 6, 2021. “She's extremely well qualified and has an abundance of Tribal Court experience, something that's very important in my state. We are home to 29 federally recognized Tribes and it's long overdue that our federal court system includes those who have a deep understanding and appreciation of Tribal Trust Responsibilities and federal Indian law. And Ms. King has extensive litigation experience and is a recognized leader in Tribal law.”

“She has been a pro tem appellate judge for the Northwest Intertribal Court System since 2013,” Cantwell continued. “She has also served as a commissioner on the Washington State Gambling Commission and chairs her law firm’s Native American Law Practice Group, a graduate of the University of Washington, and the University of Virginia School of Law. She has also taught federal Indian law at Seattle University.”

“She has earned the support of the National Congress of American Indians and the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and [other] leading Native organizations,” Cantwell concluded. “So I know she will make an excellent addition to our court [in] the Western District of Washington, and I urge my colleagues to support her nomination.”

King was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 55 to 44. She was nominated to the bench by President Joe Biden.

Video courtesy C-SPAN

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