Sen. Lindsey Graham (Republican from South Carolina) said Thursday that he would oppose Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court. This is a departure from last year, when Graham was one three GOP senators who approved Jackson to an appellate court. Graham made his opposition to the Senate floor on Thursday. He cited, in part Jackson’s record of federal court judges in sendingencing child pornography offenders lower sentences than the guidelines.
Graham stated that she opposed and would vote against Judge Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court. “My decision is based on her record of judicial activism and flawed sentencing methodology in child pornography cases. I also believe that Judge Jackson will not stop liberal causes from being pursued by the plain meanings of the law.”
Jackson received three GOP votes last ye for her confirmation to U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit: Susan Collins of Maine, Graham and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Murkowski has yet to announce how she will vote. Collins, however, announced this week that she would support Jackson. This gives the White House some bipartisan support for President Biden’s first Supreme Court nominee.
Graham was one the most difficult Jackson questions during Senate Judiciary Committee hearings about her child pornography sentencing records. He called her an “evasive witness” and deplored her failure to use two sentencing enhancement criteria as a federal judge, which he believes would be deterrent against the “explosion child pornography online.”
Graham stated Thursday that Judge Jackson was a person of exceptional character who is respected by her peers and has worked hard to attain her current position. “However her record is overwhelming in that it lacks a consistent judicial philosophy and a tendency towards achieving outcomes in spite what the law or common sense would dictate.
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said Jackson held her own against Graham well at her confirmation hearings. King stated that Graham seemed still upset that Biden did not choose Childs.
King stated last week that King seemed most upset about his candidate not getting it during a break in the Judiciary Committee hearings. “And that to me is not sufficient reason to vote against the candidate.”
Jackson’s confirmation is due to be voted on by the Senate next week. Jackson would be the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court.
