The past week was dominated by the Supreme Court nomination hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee grilled her on everything from her sentencing in child pornography cases to critical race theory to her definition of a “woman” in a bruising three-day encounter. Here are the quotes of the week.
“There’s been a wholesale effort on the Left to take down a nominee from my state. And I don’t like it very much.”
– South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham slammed a so-called left-wing takedown of his preferred high court pick, Judge J. Michelle Childs, on the first day of Jackson’s Senate confirmation hearings.
“I’m not interested in trapping Judge Jackson. I’m interested in her answer because I found in our time together that she was enormously thoughtful, enormously accomplished, and I suspect has a coherent view and explanation and a way of thinking about this that I look forward to hearing, and I think she deserves the chance to talk about it.”
– Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley on his line of questioning ahead of the Jackson hearing.
“No one is going to inquire into your teenage dating habits. No one is going to ask you with mock severity, ‘Do you like beer?’”
– Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz refers back to the contentious hearing for now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
“We have had 115 Supreme Court justices, and we shouldn’t diminish the accomplishments of mostly these 108 white men. They were extraordinary patriots who helped shape this country. But now we are seeing to the highest court in our land a hopeful day like this.”
– New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker notes the potentially historic appointment of Jackson, who would be the first black woman on the court.
“It is extremely humbling to be considered for Justice Breyer’s seat, and I know that I could never fill his shoes. But if confirmed, I would hope to carry on his spirit.”
– Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s opening statement ahead of her Supreme Court hearing.
“I’m not a biologist.”
– Jackson replies to Tennessee GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn after the judge was asked to provide a definition for the word “woman.”
“Mr. Chairman, I think you’ve in the main provided both sides an opportunity to be heard and asked for questions. But unfortunately, I noticed that after every series of questioning on this side of the aisle, you choose to editorialize and contradict the points being made by this side of the aisle.”
– Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn takes Judicial Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin to task for how he is conducting proceedings.
“How would you feel if I’d had a letter from somebody accusing you of something, a crime or misconduct, for weeks, and I give it to Sen. Durbin, just before this hearing is over, and not allow you to comment on the accusation? How would you feel about that?”
– Graham alludes to the treatment of Kavanaugh during his bruising confirmation hearing.
“I think the best way to deter people from getting on a computer and viewing thousands and hundred — and over time, maybe millions, the population as a whole — of children being exploited and abused every time somebody clicks on is to put their a** in jail, not supervise their computer usage.”
– Graham tears into Jackson for what he alleged were lenient sentences for child pornographers.
“Jackassery we often see around here is partly because of people looking for short-term camera opportunities.”
– Nebraska GOP Sen. Ben Sasse makes a pitch for keeping cameras out of the courtroom.
“I know the junior senator from Texas has to get on television.”
– Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy takes a veiled shot at Cruz.
“It’s his decision based upon law. If you spent any time studying the Supreme Court justice, he’s one who studies correctly. If he sees it’s not upholding the Constitution, he’ll rule against it. If it’s the Constitution, that’s what his job should be — it’s him.”
– House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy says Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas shouldn’t have to recuse himself from cases related to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol despite news his wife, Ginni Thomas, pushed former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to pursue taking action to attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
“At least for the moment, they don’t appear to want to pursue Kyiv as aggressively or, frankly, at all. They are more focused on the Donbas.”
– A senior U.S. defense official on Russia’s moves in Ukraine having been met by fierce resistance.
“They canceled Joanne Rowling, the children’s author — her books are published all over the world — because she didn’t satisfy the demands of gender rights.”
– Russian President Vladimir Putin insists his country is a victim of cancel culture — just like the Harry Potter author.
“Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics.”
– J.K. Rowling seems to suggest she doesn’t need Putin fighting her battles.
“I was nose-diving and sort of at the one-yard line of where you don’t want to be for your family and your future.”
– WWE legend Triple H reveals how close he came to death during a heart scare in September. He revealed he has retired from fighting in the ring.
