The Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote on Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination ended in an 11-11 tie down party lines. Within that hearing, various Senate Republicans offered a parade of excuses as to why they will not be voting for Jackson’s bid.
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Mirroring what Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) stated a week ago, both Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) will also move to confirm Jackson to Supreme Court, as reported by CNN. The confirmation vote will happen later this week.
Sen. Murkowski spoke about Jackson’s qualifications and the conversations the two have had in private. Murkowski also told CNN, “she essentially apologized to the judge when they spoke because of the way she was treated, saying some GOP lawmakers on the committee had been “great” during the confirmation process but others “not super great.”
“My support rests on Judge Jackson’s qualifications, which no one questions; her demonstrated judicial independence; her demeanor and temperament; and the important perspective she would bring to the court as a replacement for Justice Breyer,” said Murkowski in a statement, citing “multiple in-depth conversations” and a review of the judge’s record.
She added: “It also rests on my rejection of the corrosive politicization of the review process for Supreme Court nominees, which, on both sides of the aisle, is growing worse and more detached from reality by the year.”
Sen. Romney tweeted about his intention to vote for Jackson, stating she is “a well-qualified jurist and a person of honor.”
Romney, meanwhile, tweeted, “After reviewing Judge Jackson’s record and testimony, I have concluded that she is a well-qualified jurist and a person of honor. While I do not expect to agree with every decision she may make on the Court, I believe that she more than meets the standard of excellence and integrity. I congratulate Judge Jackson on her expected confirmation and look forward to her continued service to our nation.”
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