Ketanji Brown Jackson on Verge of Confirmation

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson seemed poised for confirmation to the Supreme Court after a week of grueling hearings in the U.S. Senate. Judiciary committee chairman Richard Durbin from Illinois scheduled a markup meeting for Monday which sets the timetable for confirmation in April.

Despite the intense questioning from Republicans, Judge Jackson is expected to be confirmed with a party-line vote. Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia ended much of the suspense when he announced his support for Jackson’s confirmation.

What did Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey say that moved Judge Jackson to tears?

INSTRUCTORS: click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.

Videos:

News Articles:

Manchin says he will vote for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson

CNN

3/25/22

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/25/politics/joe-manchin-ketanji-brown-jackson-vote/index.html

GOP leaders used Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s hearing to rebuke critical race theory. Scholars say it’s a disgraceful attempt to disqualify her.

Business Insider

3/25/22

https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-leaders-using-ketanji-brown-jacksons-hearing-to-rebuke-critical-race-theory-2022-3

When will Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson be confirmed to the Supreme Court? Next steps in Senate process

Fox News

3/24/22

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/supreme-court-ketanji-brown-jackson-confirmation-timetable

Republicans try out midterm messages during Ketanji Brown Jackson hearings

CBS news

3/25/22

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/republicans-supreme-court-ketanji-brown-jackson-hearings/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

News Articles (Analyses):

Race hovered over Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing

Washington Post

3/24/22

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/24/race-jackson-confirmation-hearing/

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson picks up Sen. Joe Manchin’s support

PBS

3/25/22

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/news-wrap-supreme-court-nominee-ketanji-brown-jackson-picks-up-sen-joe-manchins-support

Ketanji Brown Jackson Only Has 1 Other Obstacle After Manchin Backing

Newsweek

3/25/22

https://www.newsweek.com/ketanji-brown-jackson-krysten-sinema-1691887

How Black Women Saw Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Confirmation Hearing

New York Times

3/25/22

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/25/us/ketanji-brown-jackson-black-women.html

Assessment:

Writing: Explain why Senator Sasse, and others, have been so critical of the way some of his colleagues conducted themselves during the confirmation hearings. Would judicial confirmation hearings be more substantive if they were not televised?

Debate: Should the number of  Supreme Court justices be increased, and term limits introduced to reduce the political stakes of judicial confirmations?

Poll: Should Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson be confirmed as Supreme Court justice?

Short Answer: Describe how race played a part in Judge Jackson’s confirmation hearings?

QUIZ:

Why did Senator Ted Cruz from Texas question Judge Jackson about elementary school books?

1. she serves as a board member at Georgetown Day School
2. she is a former elementary school teacher
3. she authored a book titled AntiRacist Baby
4. she founded a publishing company

Which failed judicial confirmation in 1987 likely set the modern standard for contentious hearings?

1. Anthony Kennedy
2. David Souter
3. Clarence Thomas
4. Robert Bork

How many Republicans voted for Judge Jackson when she was confirmed to the D.C. Circuit Court?

1. one
2. two
3. three
4. zero

Ketanji Brown Jackson clerked for Justice Sonia Sotomayor. (T/F)

Ketanji Brown Jackson was most recently a justice on the Florida Supreme Court. (T/F)

Ketanji Brown Jackson is related by marriage to former Representative Paul Ryan. (T/F)