Sen. Lindsey Graham Decries Taking Down of Preferred Supreme Court Nominee But Vows To Be Fair in Hearing

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) criticized Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as a far-left tool but promised to give her a fair hearing in her bid to become the Supreme Court's first Black woman.

Graham accused Jackson of being used to sabotage the candidacy of his preferred candidate, Judge Michelle Childs, a federal judge from his home state of South Carolina, in his opening speech.

Sen. Lindsey Graham Fumes at Confirmation Hearing

Despite having previously voted to affirm Jackson, Graham stated that the Supreme Court nomination is a "whole new game" and promised to ask difficult questions. He also reminded Jackson of the tumultuous debate over Judge Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, which was nearly derailed by decades-old rape allegations.

Although Jackson would be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Graham claimed she would have an easier time than former Republican nominees, NY Daily News reported. Graham also promised to grill Jackson on whether she supports extending the Supreme Court and her role in ensuring that accused terrorists incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay receive due process.

Despite Jackson's pointed words, Graham said he hasn't decided whether to support or oppose her. Despite his belief that Childs would have been a better option, he stated he wholeheartedly supports the appointment of a Black woman to the court.

Last month, Graham and Democratic House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn praised Childs on a bipartisan basis, urging President Joe Biden to nominate her to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. If Jackson is approved by a majority vote in the Senate, she will become not just the first black woman on the Supreme Court, but also the first justice with experience as a public defender, as per The Washington Examiner.

During Jackson's confirmation hearings for a seat on the United States Supreme Court, Graham, along with Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, voted for her on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last year. Graham has become increasingly critical of Jackson's record since Biden's nomination last month.

The South Carolina senator also echoed ranking committee member Chuck Grassley's concerns about left-wing dark money groups that have backed Jackson, such as Demand Justice, which is one of the liberal groups that has backed expanding the court to include more justices to counteract the court's current conservative balance.

Supreme Court Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson Pledges Independence

Meanwhile, as a Senate panel launched a confirmation hearing on Monday (March 21) in which her record was attacked by Republicans, Jackson vowed independence if approved and endorsed for a restricted role for jurists.

According to The Strait Times, Jackson also mentioned in her opening remarks before the Senate Judiciary Committee that her parents grew up in the South during the racial segregation era. Biden, who campaigned on a promise to select a Black woman to the Supreme Court in 2020, nominated Jackson, 51, for a lifetime position on the court to replace retiring liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, setting up a confirmation struggle in the Senate.

She would be the 116th justice to serve on the Supreme Court if confirmed. Senator Dick Durbin, the Democratic head of the committee, stated, "Not a single justice has been a Black woman; you, Judge Jackson, can be the first."

The Fraternal Order of Police, among other law enforcement organizations, has approved Jackson's nomination, according to Durbin. "I hope you can see how much I love our nation, the Constitution, and the liberties that keep us free," Jackson added.

Senators will question Jackson on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Senate, which has the power to approve a president's judicial nominees under the US Constitution, is controlled by Biden's Democratic colleagues by a razor-thin margin.