Dear John,
“Grace under pressure” is how Sen. Amy Klobuchar described Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s performance today, and we could not agree more. Following a dinner recess, senators will be continuing with their first round of questions within the hour.
From the onset, Chairman Durbin set the record straight on attacks unfairly raised yesterday regarding Judge Jackson’s sentencing practices and judicial approach. In explaining her record, her commitment to public service, and how her experiences have shaped her judicial methodology, her impressive temperament and obvious intellect were on full display. Today’s testimony further underscored Judge Jackson’s qualifications and dedication to be a fair and impartial justice for all.
AFJ has been hard at work fact-checking and emphasizing her distinguished qualifications. Follow along with us as we live tweet the proceedings @AFJustice and consider making a donation to support the work of our renowned judicial research and advocacy team.
Below are five takeaways from today’s hearing:
1. Judge Jackson repeatedly demonstrated her commitment to liberty and equal justice.
Judge Jackson once again demonstrated her steadfast commitment to serving as a jurist who guarantees equal justice under the law, a commitment she has demonstrated across nearly 600 judicial opinions as a federal judge. Judge Jackson described her own judicial philosophy and the role of a judge: “I am acutely aware that as a judge in our system I have limited power and I am trying, in every case, to stay in my lane . . . it’s very important that judges rule without fear or favor.”
2. Judge Jackson understands how her nomination fosters confidence in the Supreme Court
Senators of both parties highlighted the historic nature of her nomination. Judge Jackson herself connected her nomination with our democracy. Judge Jackson expressed hope that her confirmation will “bring confidence, [that] it will help inspire people to understand that our courts are like them, that our judges are like them, doing the work, being part of our government.”
3. Judge Jackson believes our constitutional principles do not change based on who appears before her.
Republicans baselessly harped on her purported lack of “judicial philosophy.” In fact, Judge Jackson, who has issued nearly 600 opinions, repeatedly described a judicial methodology that ensures all people, not just the rich and powerful, have an opportunity to be heard in her courtroom.
As just one example, she recounted how important it was for her as a District Court judge to ensure that defendants in criminal cases understood the legal process, their crimes, and the impact of their actions on society: “When people go through the criminal justice system and don’t have a good understanding, they tend not to take responsibility for their actions... I focused on the harms of the behavior that was at issue. When I sentenced a defendant, I made clear, here is the problem, this is what you’ve done, here is the damage to our society. I don’t know if I would have done that had I not been a criminal defense lawyer.”
