Supreme Court nominees Kentanji Brown Jackson has received the highest recommendation possible from they American Bar association which called her “well qualified” to serve on the Court.
The assessment is yet another point in favor of President Biden’s nominee, who has garnered support from both Republicans and Democrats. If confirmed, she’d be the first Black woman to serve as Supreme Court justice in U.S. history and the first in decades with significant experience representing criminal defendants.
Axios
Democrats are hoping for a final Senate vote by April 8, according to CNN.
According to NPR, the hearings are scheduled to last four days with Judge Jackson appearing in the first three.
She’ll give an opening statement on Monday and then take questions from lawmakers on Tuesday and Wednesday. After a period that typically lasts a week or so after the hearings to consider the nomination, the committee will then hold a vote, and if approved, will send the nomination to the full Senate for consideration.
If confirmed, Jackson will be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. She heads into the hearings with a vast and expansive career as a judge and attorney.
NPR
Republicans are expected to attack Judge Jackson’s sentencing record.
Last week, Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who sits on the panel and will question Judge Jackson, claimed his review of her judicial record had determined that she had been lenient in sentencing some sex offenders and those convicted of possessing child pornography. He also suggested that, as a member of the United States Sentencing Commission, she worked to reduce penalties for those caught with child pornography. A detailed background paper prepared for the Judiciary Committee made a similar case.
At the same time, Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the minority leader, has doubled down on his suggestion that Judge Jackson’s experience as a public defender could influence her view of the law and lead her to favor criminal defendants.
The New York Times
The Times points out that Hawley, a potential GOP presidential contender, has not supported a single Biden judicial nominee.
The White House and Senate Democrats have pushed back forcefully, accusing Mr. Hawley of intentionally disseminating misleading information and taking material out of context to paint a distorted picture of Judge Jackson’s record.
