The testy confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s nominee to the Supreme Court, erupted into a full-blown argument between Sens. Ted Cruz and Dick Durbin on Wednesday.
The Texas Republican asked Jackson about a series of sentences she issued as a judge to child pornography offenders, describing her sentences as lenient in regards to despicable crimes.
GOP SENATORS COMPLAIN DURBIN ‘EDITORIALIZING’ DURING SUPREME COURT HEARINGS
The allegation has been a frequent topic during the hearing process this week, and Jackson has argued that her sentences were within both guidelines required by law and legal norms.
Jackson eventually told Cruz: “Senator, I have said what I am going to say about these cases.”
Cruz said Jackson was evading his questions, and Durbin, chairman of the committee, said his allotted 20 minutes had expired. Cruz continued to press Jackson to answer his questions, speaking over her several times.
Durbin used his gavel to signal Cruz was over his time, to which Cruz replied, “You can bang it as loud as you want.”
The Illinois Democrat tried to allow Sen. Chris Coons to begin his allotted 20 minutes, but Cruz continued to argue Durbin should allow Jackson to answer his questions.
“At some point, you have to follow the rules,” Durbin told Cruz. Durbin said there was no point in giving Jackson time to respond if Cruz would continue to interrupt her.
Cruz argued Durbin was “very afraid of the American people hearing the answer” to his questions and argued that South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham was permitted to go over time earlier in the day.
Coons eventually began his own remarks.
The argument was among the most tense moments of the hearing, during which Republicans also aired grievances about the treatment of previous Supreme Court nominees, and Democrats argued objections to Jackson’s sentencing record were cherry-picked.
Later in the day, Cruz tried to get recognized by Durbin to speak after he had already recognized Sen. Mazie Hirono. Cruz repeatedly tried to interject but was talked down by Durbin.
Cruz said he wanted to submit a letter to the record arguing that the Biden administration did not supply necessary records about Jackson to all the senators on the committee.
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Sen. Patrick Leahy interjected that he has served on the committee for decades and waited his turn.
“I know the junior senator from Texas has to get on television,” Leahy said.
