Latter-day Saints for Biden-Harris Applauds the Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court
We are delighted by President Biden’s nomination of Judge Katanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Judge Jackson brings with her top-flight credentials, including two degrees from Harvard University, time as a public defender, and over eight years of experience on the federal bench, more than four current justices at the time of their nomination combined. At her first judicial confirmation she was introduced by Republican Paul Ryan, who stated, “Our politics may differ, but my praise for Kentanji’s intellect, for her character, for her integrity, it is unequivocal.” The Senate confirmed her with a full voice vote.
Prior to her time as a federal judge, Jackson worked on the US Sentencing Commission to make convictions more fair. She has been a vigorous defender of the rule of the law and of the Constitutional principles that undergird our republic, including her statement that “presidents are not kings.”
This nomination is a historic one, both because Judge Jackson will be the first Black woman, and only the third African American and sixth woman, to serve as a Justice in the Court’s 230-year history, and because of the experience she brings to the bench as a public high school graduate and as a public defender who has worked on fair sentencing at the highest levels.
The Supreme Court is not without its problems, as it has never grown to match our number of Appeals courts, too many decisions are made through the so-called “shadow docket,” and lifetime tenure has intensified the partisan games surrounding certain appointments. The confirmation of Judge Jackson, however, who trained under Justice Breyer, will bring the Court someone who will make an immediate positive contribution for everyday Americans from all walks of life. We call on the Senate for a speedy confirmation.
