Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is pushing for a “rigorous, exhaustive review” of President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s record as the chamber prepares to begin the confirmation process.
Biden announced his decision to tap Jackson to serve as the successor to retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on Friday morning, with GOP lawmakers expressing reservations about her tenure serving in lower courts.
The Kentucky Republican congratulated Jackson on her nomination, adding that he feels lawmakers need to have time to review her judicial philosophy and legal views ahead of a vote. McConnell noted that he previously voted against Jackson during her confirmation to the D.C. Circuit Court last year.
BIDEN NOMINATES KETANJI BROWN JACKSON TO SUPREME COURT
“The Senate must conduct a rigorous, exhaustive review of Judge Jackson’s nomination as befits a lifetime appointment to our highest Court. This is especially crucial as American families face major crises that connect directly to our legal system, such as skyrocketing violent crime and open borders,” he said in a statement.
“I voted against confirming Judge Jackson to her current position less than a year ago. Since then, I understand that she has published a total of two opinions, both in the last few weeks, and that one of her prior rulings was just reversed by a unanimous panel of her present colleagues on the D.C. Circuit.”
“I also understand Judge Jackson was the favored choice of far-left dark-money groups that have spent years attacking the legitimacy and structure of the Court itself. With that said, I look forward to carefully reviewing Judge Jackson’s nomination during the vigorous and thorough Senate process that the American people deserve,” he added.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer asserted that the chamber will act swiftly to confirm the nominee, who would be the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
“Judge Jackson will receive a prompt hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee in the coming weeks. After the Judiciary Committee finishes their work, I will ask the Senate to move immediately to confirm her,” he said.
While confirming Jackson will require just a simple majority in the upper chamber, some GOP lawmakers have expressed reluctance to support the nominee, with Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina arguing the selection “means the radical Left has won President Biden.”
Senate Judiciary ranking member Sen. Chuck Grassley also called for a rigorous vetting process.
“I congratulate Judge Jackson on her nomination to the high court. The judgments of a justice can affect the lives of every American in perpetuity,” he said in a statement.
“It’s critical any such nominee, including Judge Jackson, receive the most thorough and rigorous vetting I always have, I’ll make my determination based on the experience, qualifications, temperament and judicial philosophy of the nominee.”
Grassley went on to take a swing at Democrats for their handling of GOP judicial nominees in recent years.
“As ranking member, I have no intention of degrading the advice and consent role as Senate Democrats have in recent confirmations. I intend to show up and do the job that Iowans pay me to do,” he continued.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune echoed his colleagues’ sentiments, calling for lawmakers to consider her qualifications and review her ability to serve as an impartial justice while weighing their decision on whether to support her for the position.
“It is vital that we confirm judges who understand their responsibility is not to make law, but only to apply it as it is written. They must understand the importance of an impartial judiciary and reject the urge to legislate from the bench. The Constitution and the rule of law must be their guideposts, not personally preferred political outcomes.”
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“These are the standards by which I will consider Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States. I will be conducting a thorough review of Judge Jackson’s record, and, after doing so, I will seek to meet with her as her nomination to be a justice on the nation’s highest court is debated by the Senate.”
