Illinois senator quizzes Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Facing the Senate Judiciary Committee for a second day, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was grilled on her record, beliefs, and her judicial philosophy.

Opening statements by the senators and Judge Jackson were Monday.

In opening questioning Tuesday, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the Chair of the Committee, picked apart Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) accusations that Judge Jackson is soft on child pornography offenders.

Hawley, in a recent tweet, called Jackson’s record “alarming.”

“All cases resulted in incarceration,” said Durbin.

“Congress has decided what it is that a judge has to do in this and any other cases when they sentence, and that statue doesn’t say look only at the guidelines and stop,” said Jackson.

Other questions Durbin asked centered around Jackson’s philosophy as well as potential federal proposals to change the size of our nation’s highest court.

Jackson is set to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

The Biden Administration emphasizes Jackson’s “outstanding qualifications” and deep understanding of the law. She is the 116th Justice nominated to the Supreme Court. She would be the first Black woman and the youngest to serve on the bench. Jackson is currently on the Appeals Court of the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. She was previously a federal public defender.

Questioning of Judge Jackson is expected to continue Wednesday.

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