Schatz, Hirono Help Confirm Jackson To US Supreme Court
The judge will soon become the first Black woman to serve on the high court, in spite of the objections of most Republicans.
In an almost party-line vote Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.
The vote was 53-47, with just three Republicans voting with all Democrats.
Hawaii’s senators voted in the affirmative, as expected.
“Today is a historic day,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono in a press release. “For the first time in our country’s history, an exceptionally qualified Black woman will serve on the Supreme Court — and the Court’s decisions will be better as a result.”
She added: “Judge Jackson is a brilliant legal mind without an ideological axe to grind, and it is no surprise that she has received broad support across the political spectrum and across the country. Throughout the hearings, Judge Jackson displayed the intellect, integrity, and temperament necessary in a Supreme Court Justice.”
In a press release, Sen. Brian Schatz said, “Judge Jackson has the legal expertise, record of fairness, and extensive experience — both professional and personal — that will make her an excellent addition to the Supreme Court. Throughout her years of public service, she has demonstrated a dedication to the Constitution, including a strong commitment to equal justice under the law. It’s a record that’s earned her praise and respect from legal experts across the country and my support.”
Republicans, , spent the confirmation “hearings strongly questioning her sentencing record, including the sentences she handed down in child pornography cases, which they argued were too light.”
But Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah rejected those arguments from some of their colleagues and voted in favor of Jackson.
Jackson, an appeals court judge, will take her seat when Justice Stephen Breyer retires this summer.
