Senate Committee Votes Against Biden-Nominated Judge Who Allowed Male Rapist In Female Prison

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Thursday against a judicial nominee who had allowed a male serial rapist, who identifies as a woman, to be housed in a female prison.

President Joe Biden nominated Sarah Netburn to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, but the nomination was blocked by the Senate Judiciary Committee in a 10-11 vote. In August 2022, Netburn recommended the transfer of male inmate William McClain, who goes by July Justine Shelby, into a female prison despite his record of sex crimes, according to the Washington Free Beacon.

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia broke away from his fellow Democrats to vote against Netburn.

“So you took a six-foot-two serial rapist, serial child rapist, with male genitalia, and he said ‘You know, I’d like to be in a women’s prison,” Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said during a committee hearing on Netburn’s judicial confirmation in May. “And your answer was, ‘That sounds great to me.’”