Friday, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) announced that he would vote against President Joe Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court.
During her Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Jackson’s judicial record was placed under the microscope by Republicans that took issue with what they deemed to be her sentencing leniency in child pornography cases.
In a statement announcing his opposition to Jackson’s confirmation, Shelby outlined the qualifying factors he takes into consideration when hearing the merits of a high court nomination.
“Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with Judge Jackson,” advised Shelby. “As with any nominee to the Supreme Court, I believe it is important to carefully consider their qualifications and credentials, including their judicial philosophy, temperament, and prior decisions as a judge.”
According to Alabama’s senior senator, Jackson was unable to address the concerns he presented to the judge as they related to her judicial record.
“We had a candid discussion in which I questioned her about my concerns, such as her judicial philosophy, position on court-packing, and prior sentencing record as a judge. While I enjoyed meeting Judge Jackson, her answers did not sufficiently alleviate my concerns. As such, I am unable to support her nomination to the Supreme Court,” concluded Shelby.
Jackson needs only a simple majority of senators to support her nomination to be confirmed to the nation’s high court. Earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced her intentions to vote in favor of the nominee, giving Jackson the votes needed to be confirmed in an evenly divided Senate.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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