February 28, 2022 - Washington - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has released the following statement on President Biden’s nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court:

“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is an experienced jurist and an outstanding nominee to the Supreme Court.

“This is a historic nomination. Judge Jackson is the first Black woman to be nominated to the Supreme Court and she embodies President Biden’s commitment to ensuring that the federal judiciary is representative of America as a whole.

“Judge Jackson possesses an exceptional legal mind and is extremely well qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. After graduating from Harvard University and Harvard Law School, she clerked for three federal judges, including Justice Breyer, whom she has been nominated to replace.

“She currently serves as a federal appellate judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and before that spent eight years as a federal district judge on the D.C. District Court. She previously worked in private practice and served as vice chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Judge Jackson also spent two years as a federal public defender, and if confirmed, she would be the first former federal public defender to serve on the Supreme Court.

“Judge Jackson is also a working mother. She and her husband, Dr. Patrick Jackson, a surgeon at Georgetown University Hospital, are the proud parents of two daughters, Talia and Leila.

“As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I look forward to meeting with Judge Jackson and discussing her experience and judicial philosophy. Judge Jackson was recently confirmed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on a bipartisan basis and I expect productive hearings before the committee soon.”
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein

Padilla Statement on Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court

February 28, 2022 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after President Biden announced the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court:

“President Biden has made an exceptional choice with his historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the Supreme Court.

“Judge Jackson is an outstanding and highly qualified jurist who would bring decades of experience, profound expertise, and a much-needed perspective to the Supreme Court. Throughout her career as a public defender, a member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and a federal judge, Judge Jackson has consistently demonstrated a commitment to equal justice under law, respect for the Constitution, and a clear understanding of the impact that the law can have on ordinary Americans. This is precisely why I joined 52 of my colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, in supporting Judge Jackson’s confirmation to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit eight months ago.

“Judge Jackson’s nomination marks an important step forward in ensuring the Supreme Court better reflects and understands the country it serves. For far too much of our history, America’s halls of power—including our courts of justice—have failed to include the voices and perspectives of all our people. For more than two centuries, the Supreme Court has never included the perspective of a Black woman. President Biden’s nomination of Judge Jackson to become the first Black woman to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court is not just historic—it is long overdue.

“If confirmed, Judge Jackson would also be the first-ever former federal public defender to serve on the Supreme Court. She brings a unique appreciation for the criminal law protections that are central to our Bill of Rights and a fresh understanding of our criminal justice system. Such insights are an important addition to the Supreme Court.

“As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to hearing more from Judge Jackson as we conduct a fair and timely confirmation process.”
Source: Senator Alex Padilla