Democrats and Republicans could agree on one thing, that her historic nomination comes at a critical moment for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Senators on the Judiciary Committee said that the high court is at a pivotal moment in its history. Republican Senators raised alarm over what they described as attacks on the high court, while Democrats highlighted coming decisions on hot-button political topics, including access to abortion.
Jackson would be the first Black woman to be confirmed to the nation's highest court, and Senators from both parties applauded the historic nature of her nomination. The first day of her hearings was consumed by Republican Senators who were angry with their Democratic colleagues for how previous Supreme Court hearings were handled.
The Supreme Court could be brought to justice by Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, barely mentioned Jackson's professional experience, instead using his allotted ten minutes to decry how Democrats handled previous confirmation hearings dating back to Robert Bork, who was nominated in 1987 by President Ronald The number of seats on the court must be protected, according to Sen. Mike Lee.
Jackson is appearing before the Judiciary Committee after three extremely controversial Supreme Court confirmations during Donald Trump's presidency, which secured the court's 6-3 conservative majority that will likely determine landmark decisions in the following months. Justice Neil Gorsuch was confirmed after a seat on the court was held open by Republicans for nearly 300 days during an election year, while Justice Amy ConeyBarrett was confirmed on the closest date to a presidential election in the U.S.
Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, looked at his Democratic colleagues and said that most of them couldn't go back to their offices without getting spit on. I don't think it will.
By September 2021, public approval of the Supreme Court was at 40%, the lowest point in Gallup's polling over the last 20 years. Major cases on abortion access, gun rights and the separation of church and state will be decided by the high court in the coming months. One case that could decide the fate of affirmative action in higher education is one that will come next term, and many Senators acknowledged the power Jackson could wield if she is confirmed.
I urge my colleagues to remember how the court must consider the effect of its actions on people. Americans who are one Supreme Court decision away from losing their health insurance, or one court decision away from the ability to make their own health care, are like that.
While many Senators on the committee spent their opening statements complaining about the other party, they will dig into Jackson's qualifications and record in the coming days when they begin the question portion of the hearing. Some of the GOP Senators took a more combative tone on Monday, previewing attacks and questions to come. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley and Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn both repeated allegations that Jackson issued lighter sentences to child pornography offenders than what the federal guidelines recommended. The White House said the allegation was not true and that it was under the lightest scrutiny.
Democrats and Republicans both cited Jackson's record on criminal justice, with Republicans expressing concern and Democrats avoiding attacks that her record as a federal public defender makes her soft on crime.
The senator from Vermont said that Judge Jackson is not soft on crime. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, said that while he has deep respect for the system of justice, and understands the importance of zealous advocacy, he believes it appears that.
As Jackson was sworn in for her own opening statement with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, old friends, mentors, and family members looking on, the excitement in the room was great.
Jackson told the committee that he stood on the shoulders of many who had come before him.
Senator Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey and one of only three Black Senators, was brought to tears talking about a story he said Jackson told him about her daughter writing former President Barack Obama years ago asking him to appoint her to the U.S. Supreme Court.
I want to let your daughter know that her dream is close to being a reality, he said.
Madeleine Carlisle can be reached at madeleine.carlisle@time.com.
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