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Friday 8 april 2022
Jackson confirmed as first Black female high court justice

From Front challenge to the University
of North Carolina’s admis-
By MARY CLARE JALONICK sions process, which might
and MARK SHERMAN allow her to weigh in on the
Associated Press issue.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Judith Browne Dianis, exec-
Senate confirmed Ketanji utive director the Advance-
Brown Jackson to the Su- ment Project, a civil rights
preme Court on Thursday, organization, said Jackson
shattering a historic barrier will make the court more
by securing her place as reflective of communities
the first Black female justice that are most impacted by
and giving President Joe the judiciary.
Biden a bipartisan endorse- “The highest court in the
ment for his promised effort land now will have a first-
to diversify the high court. hand perspective of how
Cheers rang out in the Sen- the law impacts commu-
ate chamber as Jackson, a nities of color — via voting
51 year-old appeals court rights, police misconduct,
judge with nine years ex- abortion access, housing
perience on the federal discrimination or the crimi-
bench, was confirmed 53- nal legal system, among
47, mostly along party lines other issues,” she said. “This
but with three Republican Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is sworn in for her confirmation hearing will ultimately benefit all
votes. Presiding over the before the Senate Judiciary Committee March 21, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Americans.”
Associated Press
vote was Vice President Jackson could wait as long
Kamala Harris, also the first apply the law “without fear ties sat at their desks and partisan confirmation fights, as three months to be sworn
Black woman to reach her or favor,” and pushed back stood to vote, a tradition which only worsened dur- in, as the court’s session
high office. on Republican attempts to reserved for the most im- ing the battles over Trump’s generally ends in late June
Biden tweeted afterward portray her as too lenient portant matters. The upper three picks. Collins said the or early July. She remains a
that “we’ve taken another on criminals she had sen- galleries were almost full for process was “broken” and judge on the federal ap-
step toward making our tenced. the first time since the be- Murkowski called it “corro- peals court in Washington,
highest court reflect the Jackson will be just the ginning of the pandemic sive” and “more detached but she stepped away from
diversity of America.” Sen- third Black justice, after two years ago, and about from reality by the year.” cases there when she was
ate Majority Leader Chuck Thurgood Marshall and a dozen House members, Biden, a veteran of a more nominated in February.
Schumer exulted that it was Clarence Thomas, and the part of the the Congressio- bipartisan Senate, said Republicans spent the con-
“a wonderful day, a joy- sixth woman. She will join nal Black caucus, stood at from the day of Breyer’s firmation hearings strongly
ous day, an inspiring day three other women, Sonia the back of the chamber. retirement announcement questioning her sentencing
— for the Senate, for the Sotomayor, Elena Kagan Harris called out the tal- in January that he wanted record, including the sen-
Supreme Court and for the and Amy Coney Barrett – ly, pausing with emotion, support from both parties tences she handed down
United States of America.” meaning that four of the and Democrats erupted in for his history-making nomi- in child pornography cases,
Harris said as she left the nine justices will be women loud applause and cheers, nee, and he invited Repub- which they argued were
Capitol that she was “over- for the first time in history. Schumer pumping his fists. licans to the White House as too light. Jackson declared
joyed, deeply moved.” Her eventual elevation to A handful of Republicans he made his decision. It was that “nothing could be fur-
Jackson will take her seat the court will be a respite stayed and clapped, but an attempted reset from ther from the truth” and
when Justice Stephen for Democrats who fought most by then had left. Trump’s presidency, when explained her reasoning in
Breyer retires this summer, three bruising battles over Despite Republican criti- Democrats vociferously detail. Democrats said she
solidifying the liberal wing former President Donald cism of her record, Jackson opposed the three nomi- was in line with other judg-
of the 6-3 conservative- Trump’s nominees and eventually won three GOP nees, and from the end of es in her decisions.
dominated court. She watched Republicans ce- votes. The final tally was President Barack Obama’s, The GOP questioning in
joined Biden at the White ment a conservative ma- far from the overwhelming when Republicans blocked the Judiciary Committee
House to watch the vote, jority in the final days of bipartisan confirmations nominee Merrick Garland showed the views of many
embracing as it came in. Trump’s term with Barrett’s for Breyer and other jus- from getting a vote. Republicans, though, in-
The two were expected to confirmation. While Jack- tices in decades past, but Once sworn in, Jackson will cluding Senate Majority
speak, along with Harris, at son won’t change the bal- it was still a significant ac- be the second youngest Leader Mitch McConnell,
the White House Friday. ance, she will secure a leg- complishment for Biden in member of the court af- who said in a floor speech
During four days of Senate acy on the court for Biden the 50-50 split Senate after ter Barrett, 50. She will join Wednesday that Jackson
hearings last month, Jack- and fulfill his 2020 campaign GOP senators aggressively a court on which no one “never got tough once in
son spoke of her parents’ pledge to nominate the first worked to paint Jackson is yet 75, the first time that this area.”
struggles through racial Black female justice. “This is as too liberal and soft on has happened in nearly 30 Democrats criticized the
segregation and said her a tremendously historic day crime. years. Republicans’ questioning.
“path was clearer” than in the White House and in Statements from Republi- Jackson’s first term will be “You could try and create a
theirs as a Black American the country,” said White can Sens. Susan Collins of marked by cases involving straw man here, but it does
after the enactment of civil House press secretary Jen Maine, Lisa Murkowski of race, both in college ad- not hold,” said New Jersey
rights laws. She attended Psaki after the vote. “And Alaska and Mitt Romney of missions and voting rights. Sen. Cory Booker at the
Harvard University, served this is a fulfillment of a prom- Utah all said the same thing She has pledged to sit out committee’s vote earlier
as a public defender, ise the president made to — they might not always the court’s consideration of this week. The panel dead-
worked at a private law the country.”The atmo- agree with Jackson, but Harvard’s admissions pro- locked on the nomination
firm and was appointed as sphere was joyful, though they found her to be enor- gram since she is a member 11-11, but the Senate voted
a member of the U.S. Sen- the Senate was divided, mously well qualified for the of its board of overseers. to discharge it from com-
tencing Commission. as Thursday’s votes were job. Collins and Murkowski But the court could split off mittee and moved ahead
She told senators she would cast. Senators of both par- both decried increasingly a second case involving a with her confirmation.q