Who has voted for and against the election of Ketanji Brown in the Supreme Court?
She will become the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the US and was confirmed by 53 votes to 47.
Ketanji Brown Jackson was finally confirmed to the Supreme Court after a long-running and public approval process. She becomes the first Black woman in the history of the court, and only the sixth Black person to be on it. She replaces Stephen Breyer who is retiring this summer at age 83.
“Today, we are taking a giant, bold and important step on the well-trodden path to fulfilling our country’s founding promises,” Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said just before the final vote. “This is a great moment for Judge Jackson. But it is an even greater moment for America as we rise to a more perfect union.”
In order to succeed to the supreme court, Jackson Brown needed a simple majority in the Senate. This was attained with 53 votes to 47, with most senators voting on party lines. However, the support she garnered from moderate Republicans meant she had enough support.
Who voted in Ketanji Brown’s favour?
All 50 Democrat senators voted in support of the liberal judge, as well as three Republican congresspeople: Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.
The vast majority of Republicans voted against her. They attacked her record as a judge, including her defence of Guantanamo Bay inmates. As everyone is allowed a fair trial and representation in the US, it was a weak attack, but used nonetheless.
“The soon-to-be justice can either satisfy her radical fan club or help preserve the judiciary that Americans need, but not both,” said minority leader Mitch McConnell ahead of the vote. “I’m afraid the nominee’s record tells us which is likely, but I hope judge Jackson proves me wrong.”
Republicans used the proceedings to attack her for being lenient on sex offenders, which was found to be misleading. The Senate Judiciary Committee, which usually vets supreme court nominations, was discharged from its duty with full responsibility rested on the Senate in a mark of the divide between Republicans and Democrats.