After facing intense scrutiny for her handling of cases involving sex crimes against kids, a third Republican senator announced Monday they would vote to confirm President Biden’s Supreme Court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Jackson has been under a lot of pressure for handling cases in which children were sexually assaulted.
Votes and Statements
It was just before Romney that Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said she would vote to affirm Jackson, citing her “qualifications, proven judicial independence, attitude, and temperament” as reasons for her vote.
I intend to vote in support of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation to be an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. My statement: pic.twitter.com/uGaxx8sJn5
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) April 4, 2022
As Murkowski said, Jackson became vice-chair of the United States Sentencing Commission and a district judge. She is also a judge in the appeals court.
As a result of Jackson’s previous experience in the courtroom, she will bring the Supreme Court a wealth of knowledge and insight that few others can match.
“Although I do not and would not concur with all of Judge Jackson’s rulings and views, her approach to issues is thoughtful and well-reasoned in most instances.”
“She is a judge who I respect and admire. When I asked her questions regarding the Chevron doctrine, the Second Amendment, Alaska’s landmark laws, and Alaska Native issues, she responded properly, which was encouraging.”
“The amount of support she has gotten from police agencies around the nation is tremendous, and it illustrates the judge considers all factors when making decisions,” Murkowski stated.
After Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) stated last week that she would vote to confirm Jackson, Romney and Murkowski decided to back Jackson, due to her announcement.
I just voted AYE on Judge Jackson!
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) April 4, 2022
On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-11 to confirm Jackson to the nation’s highest court, resulting in the announcement of the two votes.
Opposition Letter
Several attorney generals from across the country joined a letter signed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday to oppose Jackson’s candidacy for the Supreme Court.
The attorneys general from Arkansas, South Dakota, Montana, Indiana, Missouri, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Idaho signed the letter.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is being considered for appointment to the United States Supreme Court.
“The undersigned attorneys general and I write to express our dissent to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s candidacy for the United States Supreme Court.”
“This is due to her inexcusable leniency toward felons who possess, post, and produce child porn, more precisely, images of child rape,” according to the letter.
“Judge Jackson hasn’t just erred on the more lenient end of a spectrum of possible sanctions, as many judges are prone to do from time to time.”
“She has instead, throughout her decade-long career as a federal district court judge, routinely pushed aside victims, placed criminal defendants above them, and penalized abusers well below the legal guidelines.”
“She has sentenced scores of child pornography defendants to prison terms ranging from 15% to almost 70% less than what the prosecutor sought.”
