North Carolina senator grills President Biden’s Supreme Court pick in committee hearing

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for a second day Wednesday. Committee Democrats are emphasizing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s qualifications and deep understanding of the law. But Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) still questioned the nominee’s record.

Tills used his first 30 minutes of questioning to key in on Jackson’s views on court packing, free speech rights, sentencing criminals who assault police officers.

Judge Jackson would be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. The high court nominee was a federal public defender before being named a federal judge in 2012. The Harvard graduate currently serves in the U.S. District Court in DC. Judge Jackson is set to replace the retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

Tillis highlighted some of his concerns regarding the way Breyer’s potential replacement treats defendants.

“There’s at least a level of empathy that enters into your treatment of a defendant that some could view as a, maybe, beyond what some of us would be comfortable with with respect to administering justice,” said Tillis.

“We are supposed to be sentencing people so that they can ultimately be rehabilitated to the benefit of society as a whole,” said Jackson.

Questioning from senators is expected to continue into Wednesday evening on Capitol Hill before witnesses speak to Jackson’s credentials Thursday.

Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved.