After a 57-43 vote by the Senate, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson moves past the Judiciary committee on her path to the Supreme Court.
Photo Courtesy: NPR
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson edged one step closer to becoming a United States Supreme Court Justice Monday evening after receiving bipartisan support.
Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) voted across party lines to push the nomination past the Judiciary committee. All three senators have vowed to help confirm her nomination in the coming days. Jackson now awaits verification that she will become the first black woman sworn into the country's highest court.
After serving as a federal judge for the United States Court of Appeals, President Joe Biden selected Jackson in January to replace Justice Stephen Breyer who is set to retire. At age 51, Jackson will likely serve an extensive term on the Supreme Court should she complete the Senate confirmation process.
The Harvard Law School graduate is nearing the end of a rigorous hearing. GOP leaders have attacked Jackson for a wide range of dealings. One particular focus for Republicans has been her sentencing in child pornography cases. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) was the first to bring the topic to light.
Hawley cited several cases in which the Supreme Court nominee went well below the recommended sentencing for child pornography defendants. In response, Jackson claimed she took into account the children's point of view saying, "I made sure the victims, the children's perspectives, were represented, and I also imposed prison terms and significant supervision and other restrictions on these defendants."
Critical Race Theory was another key issue highlighted by the right. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) brought into question a quote from Jackson that read "[S]entencing is just plain interesting... because it melds together myriad types of law - Criminal Law, of course... Constitutional Law, Critical Race Theory..."
The quote was brought forward in an attempt to prove Jackson's support of the controversial theory. Cruz, along with many other Republicans, claims that teaching Critical Race Theory in schools oppresses white children and makes them feel inherently racist from a young age.
The left argues that Critical Race Theory is not prevalent in Judicial work. Further, Jackson claims the quote was simply taken out of context. "It doesn't come up in my work as a judge,” said Jackson.
The hearing has so far resembled that of a fight between young school children, with Democrats arising concerns of Jackson being attacked through unjust questioning. Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) claimed the hearing included "absurdities and disrespect." Contrary, the GOP has held a firm approach with Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) stating that "questions are not attacks."
As the midterm elections approach the balance of power in the United States is in question yet again. The inauguration of Judge Jackson seems imminent at this point, and while Republicans will continue to hold a 6-3 advantage in the Supreme Court, it will still mark a monumental moment in the history of the United States.
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