Now that her nomination has moved to the Senate floor, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is one big step closer to becoming a Supreme Court justice.

I’m beyond happy. But I’m still deeply disturbed — and deeply angry — about the disrespectful treatment she received at the hands of Senate Republicans in her confirmation hearings.

Not just disagreement with her views — that’s fair game — but outright personal hostility and contempt. They sneered, interrupted, invented fake issues to attack her with, shouted, and showed a profound lack of respect for an accomplished, intelligent, thoughtful, and thoroughly professional federal judge.

And one of them, Lindsey Graham, just came right out and admitted that if the GOP controlled the Senate, she wouldn’t have even gotten a hearing, let alone a vote. Infuriating, but not surprising.

The Republicans who mugged for the cameras as they attacked Judge Jackson should be ashamed of themselves. And they’ve made it clear that if they flip the Senate, they’ll block President Biden’s judicial nominees, just like they blocked President Obama’s.

Judge Jackson showed why she will make us proud as a Supreme Court justice. And Senate Republicans showed why we can’t trust them to control the chamber. Add your name if you agree that the Senate must confirm her right away.

So, the hearings were tough. But there was a second part to what we saw — and that’s Judge Jackson herself. She remained calm and controlled. She gave no one any room to attack her judicial demeanor. She did not throw a tantrum, the way an earlier GOP nominee did. She persevered with courage and conviction.

Together, we can look forward to a Supreme Court that has Judge Jackson’s experience.

And together, we will keep up the fight for a judicial system that lives up to the words engraved on the Supreme Court: Equal Justice Under Law. We make that promise a reality by focusing on the people who sit on our courts, the senators who confirm those judges and justices, and the structural reforms we need to make.

In our country’s history, 115 people have served on the Supreme Court. You know how many of them have been former federal public defenders, like Judge Jackson? Zero. And how many Black women? Another zero.

Judge Jackson also has more trial court experience than any sitting Supreme Court justice, and she’ll be only the second sitting justice to have served in all three levels of the federal judiciary. 

Some Republicans have complained about the very idea of having a public defender on the Supreme Court. They should read the Constitution. They seem to forget that the Sixth Amendment grants criminal defendants the right to counsel. Public defenders help America live up to our constitutional ideals.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s legal background is unusual for our federal courts. That’s not an indictment of her candidacy — it’s an indictment of the narrow, blinkered perspective of our judiciary.

Her work in the trenches, representing those without means or power, provided her with an invaluable perspective into our system of justice. By bringing that experience to the Supreme Court, she will make our judiciary that much stronger.

She’s exceptionally well-qualified — so it’s no wonder that the GOP has resorted to manufacturing fake objections. But it’s still appalling, and it’s no way to treat someone who’s devoted her career to exceptional public service.

The Republican senators were beyond despicable during this process, and we must both hold them accountable and make sure they can’t make good on their promise to block qualified judges like Judge Jackson.

Add your name to say you support Judge Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination. And let’s fight side by side for equal justice under law.

Thanks for being a part of this,

Elizabeth