Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn said Friday it was ‘extremely inappropriate’ for President Biden to announce his Supreme Court pick during the height of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Biden on Friday nominated federal judge Kentaji Brown Jackson, fulfilling his promise to pick a black woman to serve on the Supreme Court to replace liberal Justice Stephen Breyer.
‘President Biden’s announcement just days after an unprovoked full scale invasion by Russia is extremely inappropriate,’ Blackburn said on Twitter on Friday. ‘It is an attempt to hide that for over three months Biden refused to levy sanctions against Russia or send military assistance to Ukraine.’
‘Once again, Biden is putting the demands of the radical progressive left ahead of what is best for our nation.’
The U.S. has provided $650 million in military assistance to Ukraine over the past year. But Biden held up a Ukrainian aid package in December, worried the move would be seen as aggressive by the Russians when talks were still ongoing. Biden’s administration also took a more hesitant approach to sanctions, arguing they should be held over Putin’s head as a deterrent against invading.
But on Thursday, Biden admitted that he knew the sanctions were never going to stop Putin from invading. ‘No one expected the sanctions to prevent anything from happening,’ he said, in direct contradiction to the claims of other administration officials.
‘President Biden’s announcement just days after an unprovoked full scale invasion by Russia is extremely inappropriate,’ Blackburn said on Friday
‘For too long our government, our courts haven’t looked like America,’ Biden said as he introduced Jackson, the first black woman nominated to the Supreme Court
Blackburn said she would not hold Biden’s ‘failure’ against Jackson and planned to meet with the nominee to see if she ‘is a person of high character.’
Friday’s news cycle was packed to the brim with Russia launching all-out war with Ukraine, and the White House both announced its Supreme Court nominee and the Centers for Disease Control rolled back its mask recommendation.
‘For too long our government, our courts haven’t looked like America,’ Biden said as he introduced Jackson, the first black woman nominated to the Supreme Court.
‘I am truly humbled by the extraordinary honor of this nomination,’ Jackson said.
‘I must begin these very brief remarks by thanking god for delivering me to this point in my professional journey. My life has been blessed beyond measure, and I do know that one can only come this far by faith,’ she said.
In his push for her nomination, Biden pointed to Jackson’s unique qualifications – she would be the high court’s first former public defender – and that she has been previously confirmed by the Senate for the federal bench, garnering Republican votes in the Senate for that position.
‘She served both in public service as a federal public defender, a federal public defender and in private law practice as an accomplished lawyer with a prestigious law firm,’ the president said in remarks at the White House with Jackson by his side. Vice President Kamala Harris was also there.
Liberals praised the pick, citing Jackson’s background as a public defender. Republicans offered a more cautious reaction with most GOP senators saying they would keep an open mind when meeting with her during the confirmation process.
Ketanji Brown Jackson said she was ‘truly humbled’ by the nomination
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that Jackson’s pick meant that ‘the radical Left has won President Biden over yet again.’ Graham had wanted Biden to pick a judge from his home state: South Carolina-based U.S. District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs.
‘The attacks by the Left on Judge Childs from South Carolina apparently worked,’ he added. Childs’ past work as a management-side labor attorney complicated her standing with progressives.
‘The Harvard-Yale train to the Supreme Court continues to run unabated,’ said Graham. ‘I expect a respectful but interesting hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.’
Graham voted for Jackson to serve as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit eight months ago, as did Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Sen. Mitch McConnell seemed to call Jackson inexperienced, noting that she published ‘a total of two opinions’ during her time on DC’s federal appellate court. She did write hundreds during her eight years on district court.
‘I voted against confirming Judge Jackson to her current position less than a year ago,’ the Kentucky Republican said. ‘I also understand Judge Jackson was the favored choice of far-left dark-money groups that have spent years attacking the legitimacy and structure of the Court itself.’
‘With that said, I look forward to carefully reviewing Judge Jackson’s nomination during the vigorous and thorough Senate process that the American people deserve.’
