Durbin: Judge Jackson Will Be a Strong, Fair, Principled, Evenhanded, & Impartial Supreme Court Justice

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke about his meeting last week with Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden’s nominee to the Supreme Court.  Durbin discussed Judge Jackson’s breadth of experience, character and temperament, and evenhandedness and impartiality.

“As I said, the day her nomination was announced, it’s hard to think of a better jurist to replace the highly regarded Justice Stephen Breyer.  Over the past ten days, we’ve all had a chance to learn about her record, and last week I met with her in my office.  I’d like to share what impressed me the most about her.  First, her breadth of experience.  Graduate of Harvard Law School, she’s worked in private legal practice.  She served as a federal public defender and served on the United States Sentencing Commission.  She’s clerked at every level of the federal judiciary… that’s an amazing resume,” Durbin said.  “She went on to serve as a federal district court judge and currently sits on the D.C. Circuit, often regarded as the second-highest court in the land.”

Durbin continued, “Second, I was impressed with her character and temperament.  They’re unimpeachable. During our conversation last week, we spoke about her family, her daughters, her upbringing, and the highlights of her career… My conversation with Judge Jackson also made clear that she has the exact temperament we need on the Court.  She’s personable, humble, approachable.  That last attribute is particularly important for a Supreme Court Justice… Third, Judge Jackson is clearly, clearly within the judicial mainstream.  She has a record of evenhandedness and impartiality guided by the Constitution, the law, and the facts of the case.  She’s not a partisan or an ideologue.  She’s independent in her thinking, and she will maintain the Court’s proper role.”

Durbin also pushed back on a number of baseless attacks against Judge Jackson, including for refusing to comment when asked whether the Supreme Court should remain at its current size; Tucker Carlson demanding to see Judge Jackson’s LSAT score to gauge if she was in fact a “once in a generation legal mind;” false allegations that Judge Jackson was handpicked by so-called liberal dark money groups; and that she is a partisan Democrat who will rubberstamp the President’s agenda or will be “soft on crime.”

Durbin concluded, “As Senators and the American people continue to learn more about Judge Jackson and her amazing record, I hope and expect they’ll reach the same conclusion that leaders have reached all across America’s political spectrum—Judge Jackson will be a strong, fair, principled, evenhanded, and impartial Supreme Court Justice.”

Video of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s floor speech is available here for TV Stations.

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