Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared before the Senate three times in confirmation proceedings for previous roles. But a few days of hearings on her Supreme Court nomination This week will be the highest-profile – and potentially most controversial – barbecue that Jackson has faced lawmakers.
Democrats have signaled that they will highlight the historic nature of her nomination – if confirmed, she will first black woman on the Supreme Court – and her qualifications, which lawmakers on both sides have described as impressive.
But Senate Republicans say they still have questions about Jackson’s record, even though they have said they will keep the proceedings substantive and decent.
Jackson, a Harvard Law graduate who grew up in Miami, served less than a year in his current role on the DC United States Court of Appeals. Prior to that, she served as a judge in DC’s federal trial court for eight years. She also served as vice chair of the United States Sentencing Committee from 2010 to 2014. All three roles required her to sit for Senate confirmation testimony — in hearings that took a more serious tone than the others. What is expected this week.
Two days of Jackson’s questioning will begin on Tuesday, following a round of proceedings on Monday that includes her opening statements and introductions.
Here’s what might come out of her hearing:
Framing “light on crime”: Senate Judiciary Republicans have introduced lower court nominations for criminal justice policies they describe as lenient on crime. And in the floor comments on Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell previewed focus on Jackson. His speech criticized the praise she received from advocates for her experience as a public defender giving her “empathy” as an magistrate. judge.
Even amid the national crime wave, the percentage of new judges that President (Joe) Biden nominated shared the background of expertise that libertarians assume, the Kentucky Republican said. have special sympathy for the criminal defendants”. He added that Biden “is knowingly working to soften the heart of the entire federal judiciary on crime.”
Jackson was able to point to her personal background to combat this attack, as she has done before. With an uncle indicted on drug charges, and several members of her family – including her brother – who served in law enforcement, Jackson had relationships that she alleged. helped her see both sides of the problem.
Take a close look at her approach to child pornography: The extension of the “light on crime” attack is the statement, Partially done the wrong way by GOP Senator Josh Hawley last week, that Jackson had been soft on child pornography.
His claims are based on two factors: The first is her sentencing record in some cases, which falls within the mainstream of the number of other judges approaching the offenses in question. ; the second is her statements on legal issues surrounding sex crimes, including in a 1996 law review article and with her role on the sentencing committee.
Some of the sentencing committee remarks that Hawley highlighted were in response to witness testimony at committee hearings. A review of the hearing transcripts and interviews with two experts who testified believes that the claim that Jackson showed leniency towards child pornography during a day-long session that Hawley quoted when questioning her records. Still, the Missouri Republican still stands up to its critics.
Working with the US Sentencing Commission: In addition to the commission’s work on child sex crimes, other aspects of Jackson’s tenure could be brought up. Before serving as vice chair, she spent two years as assistant special counsel to the committee in the mid-2000s.
Republicans are reviewing thousands of documents for more information about her views on the committee.
Read more about questions she may face this.
