Senators weigh in on nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

President Joe Biden has fulfilled his campaign commitment to appoint a black woman to the Supreme Court, announcing it Ketanji Brown Jackson, a U.S. District Court of Appeals judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, chose Friday. If confirmed, the 51-year-old judge would replace Judge Stephen Breyer and become the fourth highest judge in what many consider the second most powerful court in the country.

Jackson’s confirmation will go to an equally divided Senate that has seen increasingly partisan struggles over Supreme Court candidates in recent years. She was a part of it The first batch of judicial candidates of Mr. Bidenand his nomination to the DC Circuit was approved in a bipartisan vote of 53 to 44. He filled the vacancy when Merrick Garland, himself a former Supreme Court candidate, became Attorney General of the United States.

Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted with Democrats to confirm Jackson on the circuit court. Judicial Committee member John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, voted in favor of sending his nomination to the full Senate, but ultimately voted against its confirmation.

• Read more about Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court candidate

Senators on both sides of the aisle, including Collins and Graham, made statements Friday about Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court, but Murkowski was not among them. Neither was Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican who had previously said he “would love to vote to put the first black woman in court.”

Former President Barack Obama, who appointed Jackson first as a district judge and then to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, praised his “reputation for pragmatism and consensus building.

“Like Judge Breyer, Judge Jackson understands that the law is not just an abstract theory. It’s about people’s lives,” he said in a statement Friday.

In the absence of bipartisan support, Mr. Biden would need the 50 Democratic votes, including those of Krysten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, moderates who have previously rejected some items on the president’s agenda.

These are some of the reactions of key senators so far:

Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine

“Ketanji Brown Jackson is an experienced federal judge with impressive academic and legal credentials. I will thoroughly verify Judge Jackson’s nomination and look forward to hearing from the public before the Senate Judiciary Committee and meeting with him in my office.” .

Senator Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina

“If the media reports are accurate and Judge Jackson has been chosen as the Supreme Court candidate to replace Judge Breyer, then the radical left has won President Biden again. The left attacks on Judge Children in South Carolina seem to be working. ”

Judicial Committee Member Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee

“President Biden’s announcement a few days after a large-scale unprovoked invasion by Russia is extremely inappropriate,” said Senator Blackburn. “Once again, Biden is putting the demands of the progressive radical left ahead of what is best for our nation. It is an attempt to hide the fact that for more than three months Biden refused to impose sanctions on Russia or I cannot defend President Biden’s failure to lead our nation against his candidate, but I intend to meet with the Presidential candidate in person and thoroughly examine his determine whether he is a person of great character.A Supreme Court candidate must commit to defending the rule of law and the Constitution as it is written.We must not blindly confirm a justice that serves as a rubber stamp for a radical progressive agenda “.

Judicial Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Illinois

“From a solid list of potential candidates, President Biden has chosen an extraordinary candidate for DC circuit judge Ketanji Brown Jackson,” Durbin said in a statement. “Being the first to make history in our nation requires an exceptional life history. Judge Jackson’s accomplishments are well known to the Senate Judiciary Committee, as we passed him on the DC Circuit less than a year ago with bipartisan support, start moving forward immediately in her nomination with the careful, fair and professional approach to which she and the United States are entitled. ”

Judicial Committee Classification Member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa

“Judges must have an unwavering commitment to the Constitution, including its limitations on the power of the courts. A justice must also be an infallible advocate of the institution of the court, as Judge Breyer has been,” Grassley said in a statement.

“As I have always done, I will make my determination based on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, temperament and judicial philosophy. I look forward to meeting Judge Jackson at Capitol Hill in the next few days and working with the Senator Durbin to complete the initial questionnaire and request for committee records, as is usual in this process. ”

Amy Klobuchar, Judicial Committee Member, D-Minnesota

“Judge Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination is historic. There have been 115 Supreme Court judges and, if confirmed, she will be the first black woman. She is a jurist who understands the experiences of everyday Americans and will bring her unique perspective. in the highest court in the country.

“I have been proud to support her three previous nominations, and look forward to meeting with her and working with my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle at the Senate confirmation hearing.”

Judicial Committee Member Josh Hawley, R-Missouri

“Now that President Biden has taken his election to the Supreme Court, I look forward to meeting with Judge Jackson one by one and the next Judicial Committee hearings. When Judge Jackson appeared before the Committee last year “Judicially, I was concerned about aspects of her history, including her criminal and criminal justice history. I will thoroughly review Judge Jackson’s case from top to bottom and look forward to speaking with her.”

Patrick Leahy, Judicial Committee Member, D-Vermont

“Judge Jackson has already demonstrated intelligence and impartiality in both the DC District Court and the DC Circuit Court. was first unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2013. His track record in both the private and public sectors provides a diversity of legal experience that provides informed jurisprudence.This is the kind of candidate we should all ‘wait in the highest court in our country.

“The president has done his job, appointing a highly qualified and experienced judge for elevation to the Supreme Court. Now the Senate has to do its job – free of politics and political vitriol – to evaluate this fairly and objectively. “We have a real opportunity, after careful review, to offer our advice and consent on this historic candidate.”

Senator Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia

“As a West Virginia senator, I take very seriously my constitutional responsibility to advise and consent to a Supreme Court candidate. As I have done with previous Supreme Court candidates, I will evaluate the record, the qualifications and the judicial philosophy of Judge Jackson to serve in the highest court in the country. I look forward to meeting with Judge Jackson before deciding whether to give my consent. ”

Senator Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona

“Today’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as an Associate Judge in the United States Supreme Court represents a historic milestone for our country. As Arizona’s senior senator, I take my constitutional duty to provide seriously. advice and consent, and I carefully consider all presidential candidates based on a three-pronged approach: if they are professionally qualified, they believe in the role of an independent judiciary and can be trusted to interpret and maintain the rule of law faithfully. I look forward to meeting with Judge Jackson and discussing his nomination. ”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky

“The Senate needs to conduct a rigorous and thorough review of Judge Jackson’s nomination as a lifelong appointment to our highest court. This is especially crucial as American families face major crises that connect directly with our legal system, such as violent crime and the opening of borders.

“I voted against confirming Judge Jackson in his current position less than a year ago. Since then, I understand that he has published a total of two opinions, both in recent weeks, and that one of his previous sentences ended I also understand that Judge Jackson was the preferred choice of far-left dark money groups that have spent years attacking the legitimacy and structure of the DC Circuit. same Court “.

In:
• United States Supreme Court
• Ketanji Brown Jackson