Republicans can now say that Democrats aren’t as strict on crime as they used to be. They will look at Supreme Court pick Ketanji Brown Jackson’s legislative and political records.
Although the Ukraine crisis dominated Jackson’s confirmation hearings, polls show people’s perception of President Biden and Democrats’ vulnerability to crime ahead of the 2022 midterms.
History and Ethics
On Tuesday, Senate Judiciary GOP senators began probing Jackson on her record as a corporate lawyer, defense attorney, and trial and appellate court judge, including her defense of Guantanamo Bay inmates.
Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee sent out an email titled “KBJ: Soft on Crime.”
Given the criticism of KBJ’s weak record on crime and sentencing, it should be noted that the groups that support her also support the BREATHE Act, which would codify these soft-on-crime policies into law.https://t.co/pWzfyjZ1i1
— Jon Schweppe 🇺🇸 (@JonSchweppe) March 23, 2022
“Tough on crime’ is only a political weapon if the American people become furious about criminal conduct,” RNC spokesperson Tommy Pigott tweeted.
Last week, Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, stated Jackson had “a unique sensitivity to criminals.”
In a recent Fox News survey, over 60% of eligible voters complained about Biden’s crime management since taking office, while 35% approved.
In February, only 7% ranked crime as their top worry, beating out inflation, employment and economic development, the epidemic, and other issues.
According to Charles Franklin, rising crime is a severe issue in many regions.
Per Marquette Law School polls conducted last summer and fall, Republicans and Republican-leaning interviewees saw more offenses than Democrats.
However, it still remains to be seen if Independents will adopt Democratic policing practices. Per the August Marquette Law School study, just 45% of Independents were more conscious of crime in their town than a year previously.
Crime numbers are a reality for Suffolk University pollster David Paleologos, and if crime rises, someone will be held accountable.
Crime, Homelessness, and Mental Health
Rampant crime, homelessness, and mental wellbeing are “a combination that’s becoming strangled,” according to Paleologos’ “CityView” survey series.
Aside from violence, homelessness and mental health are becoming increasingly major issues for Democrats in urban areas, according to the head of the Suffolk University Political Research Center.
“Even in towns without a racial split, like Oklahoma City, many said “people are insane” when asked why crime had risen so dramatically.
Democrats are often thought to be better caretakers of individual health care. Still, Democratic leaders in cities like New York and Los Angeles are being criticized for issues like homelessness and mental health, as well as violence.
Jackson cited her brother and two uncles, one of whom was head of the Miami Police Department in the 1990s, to refute a claim made by Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, a possible GOP presidential candidate in 2024.
If she is approved by a bipartisan Senate, Jackson would become the first black woman Supreme Court judge. If the Senate ends up with a tie, Vice President Kamala Harris will vote to break it.
