Voting rights attorney Myrna Pérez faced a barrage of scrutiny from Republican senators at her nomination hearing Wednesday for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, including attacks about her ability to be an impartial judge given past statements criticizing voter restrictions.

A proceeding in June for federal defender Eunice C. Lee for the Second Circuit was similarly heated, with Republicans quizzing her on civil procedure and questioning whether her experience handling criminal matters prepared her for the bench.