The Senate confirmed the appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson as the Justice of the US Supreme Court. She is the first African-American woman to be in this position. Her Supreme Court tenure will start immediately after the retirement of incumbent Stephen Breyer this summer. Breyer has been holding the position for the last 27 years.
The 51-year-old will also become the youngest supreme court member after Amy Barret. In 2020, President Donald John Trump selected Barret to the US Supreme Court.
When the Senate voted on the matter, 53 members voted in favor of Jackson’s appointment. On the other hand, 47 Republican senate members voted against it. That said, GOP senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney voted to confirm it.
GOP senators questioned the sentencing history of Jackson. She has decided on sentencings for child pornography, and the senators felt that she was a bit too lenient.
After her confirmation hearing on March 23, 2022, senate member Ted Cruz stated that Jackson’s judicial history is very concerning. Cruz described the US Supreme Court as an institution that protects freedom of speech, freedom of religion and Second Amendment rights.
In response, Jackson said that the sentencings were for justice in situations with defendants who got declared guilty of committing the same acts but had different and different degrees of culpability.
Member Cory Booker of the Senate gave an emphatic approval of Jackson’s appointment.
What US Leaders Had To Say About It
Several politicians in the US responded to the court appointment of Jackson. Here, we will discuss some of the best responses to it.
Senator Ted Cruz’s Comments
Cruz said that he voted against Jackson’s Supreme Court appointment. Cruz based the vote on Jackson’s criminal sentencing record and incapability to elucidate her judicial philosophy, plus repeated cases where she substituted her own political preferences for the law.
Erstwhile President Barrack Obama’s Response
Obama congratulated Jackson on her Supreme Court appointment. He described it as a proud occasion in the history of the US and a great day for the nation.
Senate Member Lindsey Graham’s Reaction
Graham said that she voted against Jackson’s confirmation. She based it on Jackson’s history of flawed sentencing on child pornography-related cases, judicial activism, and a feeling that the plain definition of the American law about liberal causes would not deter her.
Vice President (VP) Kamala Harris’s Remarks
VP Harris described the confirmation of Jackson to the US Supreme Court as a historic day for the nation.
President Joe Biden’s Comments
President Biden described the appointment of Jackson as a momentous moment for the nation and a step toward causing the highest court to reflect its diversity. Stating that Jackson would make an incredible Supreme Court Justice, Biden said that he felt proud to share the occasion with her.