Supreme Court Nominee Under Heavy Pressure – GOP Turns A Spotlight On Jackson’s Guantanamo Defense

What’s Happening:

Joe Biden hoped to salvage his failing presidency by picking a woman of color to sit on the Supreme Court. Early signs suggest Americans aren’t impressed with the move, considering they are getting hammered at the grocery store and pump.

But it seems like Biden’s move will be met with even more hurdles, during the confirmation process.

Instead of selecting a moderate judge that would impress both sides of the aisle, Biden went with an activist. Evidence suggests Ketanji Brown Jackson sympathizes with far-left policies. In one instance, she even went well beyond what some think appropriate. And now, that move could cost her this seat.

From The Hill:

Republicans are raising a red flag over Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s work on behalf of Guantánamo Bay detainees…

“We did talk … about her representation of Guantánamo Bay detainees. I expressed some concern about this,” Hawley said, adding that he thought her work on Guantánamo Bay cases while in private practice was “interesting” and “a little concerning.”

“Despite Jackson’s claim that she did not get to choose her clients as a public defender, she continued to advocate for Guantanamo terrorists when she went into private practice,” the RNC said.

According to reports, Senate Republicans are raising concerns with Jackson’s representation for Gitmo detainees. From what we’ve heard, she wasn’t simply assigned this job as a public defender. But it appears she became an “advocate” for a group many people view as enemies to our country.

It would have been enough for her to provide a “competent defense” for these detainees. Instead, Republicans worry that she was on their side, to a certain extent. This might confirm concerns that Jackson is a “criminal justice” advocate who would fight for the rights of criminals, at the expense of their victims.

This issue could become a major sticking point in her confirmation. If Republicans truly worry about her agenda, they might not vote her out of committee. Her future on the Supreme Court could be derailed. Influential Republican Sen. Ted Cruz has voted against Jackson in the past, for other seats.

From Washington Examiner:

Cruz has a record of opposition to Jackson, as he and Sen. John Cornyn voted against confirming her when she went before the Senate last year for an appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Will Biden’s nominee actually make it to the bench? I guess we’ll have to wait to find out.

Key Takeaways:

• Republicans are worried about Biden’s SCOTUS pick’s history defending Gitmo detainees.
• Jackson went beyond defending them, becoming to some an “advocate.”
• It is possible Republican senators can block the nomination, if they protest.

Source: The Hill, Washington Examiner