President Biden’s choice of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court will likely please her progressive supporters, and she may even get some GOP support with her loaded resume.
But the pick may disappoint the man who saved Biden’s political career, if only slightly.
House Minority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., enthusiastically advocated for Biden to pick Judge J. Michelle Childs to be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. Biden had nominated Childs to the D.C. Circuit Court of appeals in December before Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement last month.
Despite not getting his pick, Clyburn said Jackson is an “outstanding judge” who has his “full support.”
“Although not the finalist, Judge Childs’ inclusion among the three that were interviewed continues her record of remarkable contributions to making this country’s greatest accessible and affordable for all,” Clyburn said.
Many thought Biden would select Childs in part because of the role Clyburn played in his presidential campaign.
Biden took embarrassing losses in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada before Clyburn’s endorsement helped him with the key South Carolina primary by a landslide. Biden used that momentum to take big victories on Super Tuesday that fueled his eventual White House win.
But instead of Childs, Biden picked Jackson, who currently sits on the D.C. Circuit.
“I’m proud to announce that I am nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the Supreme Court. Currently serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, she is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds and will be an exceptional Justice,” Biden tweeted.
The congressman previously said he has nothing against Jackson and “she’s an outstanding person from all I hear.” Clyburn also told The Washington Post if Biden picked someone other than Childs, “I may be disappointed for the rest of my life, but I’m not going to give an ultimatum.”
“I always said it would be a plus, but it’s not a must,” Clyburn told the Post.
Top Senate Democrats are expected to move quickly toward a confirmation hearing for Jackson. Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in a statement Friday, “We will begin immediately to move forward on her nomination with the careful, fair, and professional approach she and America are entitled to.”
“Under Chairman Durbin’s leadership, Judge Jackson will receive a prompt hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee in the coming weeks. After the Judiciary Committee finishes their work I will ask the Senate to move immediately to confirm her to the Supreme Court,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., added.
Breyer said in a letter to Biden announcing his intent to retire that he planned to step down at the end of the current term assuming his replacement is chosen and confirmed by that time. That gives the Senate until approximately late June to complete Jackson’s confirmation, plenty of time when compared to the standard of recent confirmation efforts.
Obiden is yet again violating our constitution and federal laws by blatantly and proudly discriminating against ALL White candidates, as well as those from other non-black races by publicly stating he would ONLY pick a black female, regardless of many much more qualified choices which are NOT black females! With the black population being 13% of the U.S. total, to be proportional and representative of this fact, only 1 black Justice should be on the bench which is 11% of the 9 Justices, whereas adding another black would dramatically OVER REPRESENT their makeup in our country and would be 22% of the bench, contrary to the goals of civil rights and diversity advocates. Obiden campaigned and swore he/she was a “moderate”, however, the demented tool has been nothing but extremely far Left in every action he/she has taken (I’m not certain Obiden isn’t now identifying as a demented female these days, thus the “he/she” inclusion). Most importantly, Republicans MUST DENY this choice and present “evidence” of her having committed a serious crime from decades ago and treat her EXACTLY like the Democrats treated Justice Kavanaugh during his confirmation! Fair is fair and the corrupt, immoral Democrats DESERVE to get what they gave to Kavanaugh! No more “Mr. Nice Guy” by Republicans since that hasn’t worked for decades in their favor! Affirmative Action is a discriminatory action and concept anyway.