Republican Promise for 'Dignified' Court Hearings Has Been Anything But
Historic nominee was left literally wiping tears by the third day of confirmation hearings
Before the gavel fell Monday, opening the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearings into the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to sit on the nation's highest court, Republicans had pledged civility and a serious tone to the hearings.
“It will be a serious and dignified process,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
But by the third day of hearings, all pretense to that “dignified process” had fallen away, as Republicans took turns hammering away at the nominee — often with dramatic petulance and the most thinly veiled of racism — leaving Democrats rising to Jackson’s defense.
And, at least one point, the nominee was literally left wiping away tears.
At one point, Sen Lindsay Graham, of South Carolina, one again had pounced on Jackson, full of performative outrage over the issue of sentencing Internet pedophiles which has since been debunked.
What was clear, from start to finish, was racism.
“It’s clear that @LindseyGrahamSC has no intention to pay respect to Justice Jackson, her time, or her qualifications. The only thing he’s managed to prove is his racism. Plain and unmistakable racism. #ConfirmJackson” tweeted Rachel O’Leary Carmona, executive director of Women's March.
Sen Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), president pro-tempore of the Senate and a former chairman of Judiciary, leapt to Jackson's defense, saying that Graham's behavior was “beyond the pale.”
“As dean of the Senate…I’m just distressed to see this kind of a complete breakdown of what’s normally the way the Senate’s handled...he's badgering her,” Leahy added.
Graham was hardly the only offender over on the Republican side of the dais.
Sen Tom Cotton, of Arkansas, called Jackson not believable.
“Hard to describe how offensive this is to someone who has been confirmed to 2 federal court appointments where integrity is professional currency,” tweeted Maya Wiley, a legal analyst for MSNBC and NBC News and a former candidate for New York mayor.
Sen Cory Booker (D-NJ) called out Republicans — including Graham — who had voted to confirm Jackson for other positions previously, but yet are now airing complaints at what seems like a politically opportune moment.
Jackson wiped away tears as Booker talked about how she earned the spot she’s in now and what it means to have the first Black woman Supreme Court nominee.
“Don’t worry, my sister. God has got you,” Booker told Jackson.
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