President Joe Biden’s pick to fill a Supreme Court vacancy is coming under scrutiny.
Seemingly unhappy about Biden’s decision, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) issued a statement that if Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was picked to replace Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, “it means the radical Left has won President Biden over yet again.”
Biden did in fact announce on Friday that he will nominate Jackson to serve as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
“I expect a respectful but interesting hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee,” Graham added. “The Harvard-Yale train to the Supreme Court continues to run unabated.”
Check out Graham’s statement below:
I expect a respectful but interesting hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) February 25, 2022
The Harvard-Yale train to the Supreme Court continues to run unabated.
As CNN contributor Steve Vladeck pointed out, Graham voted to confirm Jackson to be U.S. Circuit Judge on June 14, 2021.
Senator Graham voted to confirm Judge Jackson to the D.C. Circuit (knowing that she would be a front-runner if a seat opened on #SCOTUS during the Biden Administration) exactly 257 *days* ago:https://t.co/32QAfvNter
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) February 25, 2022
This is just gaslighting. https://t.co/QIGwAlqYEN
Biden is expected to deliver remarks on his nomination at 2 p.m. EST Friday, as of publication.
In his announcement, the president wrote, “Currently a judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Judge Jackson is one of the nation’s brightest legal minds. If confirmed, she will be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.” He also said, ” If confirmed, she would be the first former federal public defender to serve on the Supreme Court.”
While Graham expressed disapproval, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called it “a moment of great pride and patriotism for our nation, as Judge Jackson makes history as the first Black woman selected to serve on the highest court in the land.”
“After beginning her career as a clerk for Justice Stephen Breyer and following in his footsteps on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, Judge Jackson will carry on his mission to preserve the Supreme Court’s vital role as a defender of our rights and freedoms,” Pelosi added. “Congress and the Country look forward to Judge Jackson receiving a fair and timely hearing, as well as a strong bipartisan vote in the Senate.”