ICYMI: Washington Post: Opinion: Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court is historic and sound
February 25, 2022
| **ICYMI** |
| Key Point: “Judge Jackson by all accounts possesses the qualities essential in a Supreme Court justice: a devotion to the rule of law; a commitment to judicial independence; an ability and willingness to collaborate with colleagues whose views and philosophies differ from her own. … The court’s integrity would be further enhanced if senators approached the confirmation process not as a partisan battle but as the constitutional duty it is.” Washington Post: Opinion: Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court is historic and sound By Editorial Board February 25, 2022 President Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court is historic, fulfilling his campaign pledge to appoint a Black woman. As he said in January, the move is “long overdue.” […] One hundred eight White men have been elevated to the court, many of them with credentials less impressive than those possessed by the contenders under consideration this time around. Judge Jackson by all accounts possesses the qualities essential in a Supreme Court justice: a devotion to the rule of law; a commitment to judicial independence; an ability and willingness to collaborate with colleagues whose views and philosophies differ from her own. She also appears to be a keen and careful legal thinker. A graduate of Harvard and Harvard Law School, she was an editor of the law review, and went on to clerk for Justice Stephen G. Breyer, whom Mr. Biden has chosen her to replace. She put in eight years as a trial judge before ascending to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in 2021. And compellingly, she would bring even more diversity to the court as the first public defender on the modern court — an especially proud legacy for a president who has proclaimed his devotion to criminal justice reform. Senate Republicans should judge her on the basis of her career and character, and refrain from obstructive maneuvering designed to deprive the nominee of a fair hearing. This may seem like a fantasy considering the poisoned state of the Supreme Court confirmation process. Yet the signs so far are somewhat encouraging. […] That the Supreme Court could now look a little more like America is worth celebrating, not least for how it might help preserve the public trust in the institution, which has taken a beating in the eyes of the country. The court’s integrity would be further enhanced if senators approached the confirmation process not as a partisan battle but as the constitutional duty it is. (MORE) |
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