Watch Live: Ketanji Brown Jackson takes questions on day 2 of Supreme Court confirmation hearings

Jackson swore in Durbin shortly after 3:20 p.m., and made his initial statement to the committee, vowing to support and uphold the Constitution if confirmed in the Supreme Court.

“Members of this committee,” he said, “if you confirm me, I promise you that I will work productively to support and defend the Constitution and this great experiment in American democracy that has lasted for the last 246 years. “.

Given his nearly 10 years serving on the federal bench, Jackson said he takes his responsibility to be independent seriously.

“I decide cases from a neutral standpoint,” he told the committee. “I value the facts, and I interpret and apply the law to the facts of the case before me, without fear or favor, in accordance with my judicial oath.”

Jackson thanked Mr. Biden for the “trust” he placed in her and thanked the 45 senators he met with before his confirmation hearings.

“Your attention to my nomination demonstrates your dedication to the crucial role that the Senate plays in this constitutional process. And I thank you for that,” he said.

Born in Washington, Jackson highlighted the lessons taught to him by his parents, Johnny and Ellery Brown, both of whom attended. Jackson said his father helped spark his interest in law, as he was a full-time student at the University of Miami Law School when the family moved to Florida.

“My first memories are of watching my father study: he had his stack of law books on the kitchen table while I sat in front of him with my stack of coloring books,” he said.

Jackson said her parents impressed both her and her brother, Ketajh, with the value of public service, with her younger brother working as a police officer before joining the army after the terrorist attacks. of September 11, 2001.

“Even before today, I can honestly say that my life had been blessed immeasurably,” he said. “The first of my many blessings is the fact that I was born in this great nation, a little over 50 years ago.”

Regarding his experience as a federal judge, Jackson noted that his views are often lengthy, which he said reflects his commitment to being transparent and providing a thorough explanation of his decisions.

“All my professional experiences, including my work as a public defender and as a trial judge, have instilled in me the importance of every litigant knowing that the judge in your case has heard you, whether your arguments or not. whether or not they prevailed in court. ” she said.

Jackson acknowledged that her family attended the hearing, including her husband Patrick, daughters Talia and Leila, parents, siblings, in-laws, and three college classmates.

In honor of Breyer, for whom he was secretary of the Supreme Court, Jackson described it as “extremely humiliating to be considered for Judge Breyer’s seat, and I know he could never fill his shoes. But if confirmed, he would hope to continue.” with his spirit. “

“I know that my role as a judge is limited, that the Constitution only allows me to decide the cases and disputes that are properly presented, and I know that my judicial function is further limited by careful adherence to precedents. “, he said.

Jackson said that throughout his judicial career, he has worked to make the words inscribed above the Supreme Court entry “equal justice under the law a reality and not just an ideal.”

When Republican members began making their initial statements, it quickly became apparent that many were still surprised by Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings in 2018, which were altered after several women accused him of sexual conduct. undue. Kavanaugh vehemently denied the allegations and was finally confirmed.

Nearly all Republican senators have so far called on Democrats to handle Kavanaugh’s confirmation and have vowed to treat Jackson differently from his colleagues.

“I’m committed, as always, to making sure these hearings are respectful,” said Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee. “Participating in the policy of personal destruction is not something we should ever aspire to. It is something that has happened on this committee in the context of Supreme Court nominations.”

Lee said that if senators focus on personal attacks, “they will betray our duty under the Constitution and with our constituents to make sure we do our job fairly and correctly.”

“When we focus on things we are not interested in doing, such as making spurious, last-minute, unconfirmed accusations of a personal nature, we neglect the importance of talking about the role of jurisprudence, the philosophy that guides individual jurists.” He said.

Graham also promised that Jackson would not be “attacked” or “vilified” and recounted the attacks Republicans faced during the Kavanaugh trial.

Grassley, for his part, noted the differences between the way senators approached Kavanaugh and Jackson’s hearings, accusing Democrats of turning the 2018 proceedings “into a show based on alleged misdemeanors.”

“In that sense, we started well,” he said. “Unlike the start of Kavanaugh’s hearings, we have not had repeated and choreographed interruptions by President Durbin during his opening statement, as Democrats interrupted me for more than an hour during my initial statement on Kavanaugh’s hearing “.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said it was “just one side of the aisle” that the Supreme Court candidates had. He said Jackson’s hearings “will not be a political circus,” referring to Kavanaugh’s hearings and even Supreme Court hearings before that.

“This will not be the kind of character defamation that our fellow Democrats have unfortunately done very well,” Cruz said.

• What: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Appears Before Senate Judiciary Committee for Second Day of Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings

• Data: Tuesday, March 22

• Time: 9 am ET

• Location: United States Capitol in Washington, DC

• Online transmission: Live on CBS News on the player above and on your mobile or streaming device.