Senate Confirms Biden Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

First Black woman confirmed to the Supreme Court succeeds Justice Stephen Breyer.

QUICK FACTS:
  • The Senate Thursday confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, fulfilling Joe Biden’s campaign promise to appoint the first Black woman to the high court, FOX News reports.
  • The bipartisan vote, 53-47, saw Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah vote for Jackson.
  • Kamala Harris presided over the confirmation vote Thursday afternoon.
  • “Seeing Judge Jackson ascend to the Supreme Court reflects the promise of progress on which our democracy rests,” Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said ahead of the vote. “What a great day it is in America today.”
THE OPPOSITION:
  • Republicans who opposed Jackson did so on several fronts, FOX explains, pointing to Jackson’s dodging of questions on whether she favors court packing, her inability to define the term “woman,” insufficient explanation of her judicial philosophy, and her “soft on crime” sentencing record, including those of several child pornography offenders.
  • “Based on her record, I believe she will prove to be the furthest left of any justice to have ever served on the Supreme Court,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Thursday.
BACKGROUND:
  • During two intense days of questioning at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Republicans pressed Jackson about why she gave a handful of child pornography offenders prison time that was more lenient than what prosecutors and sentencing guidelines permitted, accusing her of being too forgiving of criminals, FOX notes.
  • On the other hand, Democrats applauded Jackson’s grace under pressure and sought to spotlight Jackson’s achievements.

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