On Apr. 7, 2022, history was made on Capitol Hill when the United States Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to sit on the Supreme Court. The vote put her in line to replace Justice Stephen G. Breyer when he retires at the end of the court’s session this summer.
Three Republicans: Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah, crossed party lines to support Judge Jackson’s confirmation. Despite this, the outcome was quite partisan, with the final vote tally counting 53-47. The three Republicans voted alongside all 50 democratic senators to confirm her, with the remaining 47 Republicans voting against. Although historic and inspiring, Jackson’s confirmation will probably not change the court’s ideological makeup, with six judges who historically vote conservatively and three, including Jackson, voting more liberally.
Based on her resume alone, Jackson is undeniably qualified to fill Justice Breyer’s vacant seat, having graduated from Harvard Law School and holding an impressive background as an attorney and jurist. Jackson served in private practice as an attorney, working for many highly-regarded law firms in Massachusetts and Texas. President Barack Obama appointed Jackson to serve as the Vice-Chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission and as a D.C. District Court Judge. In June of 2021, Jackson served as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Her most unique legal experience she brings to the Supreme Court would be her altruistic choice to spend two years in the middle of her career as a public defender.
“In the 233-year history of the Supreme Court, never, never has a Black woman held the title of Justice,” expressed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Ketanji Brown Jackson will be the first and I believe the first of more to come,” he continued.
After the result was revealed, the chamber erupted in excitement, with senators, workers and visitors giving this historic moment a spirited standing ovation. Ketanji Brown Jackson made history and achieved the American Dream.
The hearing process was not easy on Jackson. During the three days of questioning proceeding the confirmation vote, Judge Jackson’s history was scrutinized by Republican senators. She spent hours defending her representation of Guantanamo Bay detainees and denying that she had been too lenient in child pornography cases.
Judge Jackson sat unflinching throughout the three-day questioning process. When questioned about her decisions as a Judge, she said, “I was doing what judges do,” also defending her work as a public defender, saying, “Federal public defenders don’t get to pick their clients.”
“I just want to thank the members of the Judiciary Committee for the great work they’ve done in exposing this judge’s radical record, and in particular her record on child pornography cases are alarmingly extreme,” said Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell.
Some Democrats took the opportunity during the hearing to acknowledge the historic occasion. “Today, you’re my star,” said Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey. “You’re my harbinger of hope … And when that final vote happens, and you ascend onto the highest court in the land, I am going to rejoice. And I’m going to tell you right now, the greatest country in the world, the United States of America, will be better because of you,” he continued. Booker is one of the three sitting Black U.S. Senators.
The significance of this event is in the barriers being broken. The Supreme Court’s ideological makeup won’t likely swing one way or another from this confirmation. Jackson is proving if you work hard enough, you can accomplish anything. She’ll go down as an inspiration to marginalized people everywhere. “Even in the darkest times, there are bright lights,” said Schumer on the Senate floor. “Today is one of the brightest lights. Let us hope it’s a metaphor, an indication of many bright lights to come.”
