Ketanji Brown Jackson: Senate Confirms First Black Woman as Supreme Court Justice
In a 53-47 decision, three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah — sided with all 50 Democrats.
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Updated at 1:25 p.m. ET
Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate Thursday as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court in its 233-year history.
In a 53-47 decision, three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah — sided with all 50 Democrats. Jackson, who served on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and was Vice Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission, was nominated by President Joe Biden in February.
Congressional hearings for the Harvard Law-trained Jackson began in March.
Republicans focused more on her time as a judge and the sentences she gave out for different cases including prison sentences, according to NPR.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri noted at one point, “I am questioning your discretion, your judgment. That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey spent time during the hearing applauding Jackson on her nomination.
Booker told Jackson, “It’s hard for me not to look at you and not see my mom, not to see my cousins — one of them who had to come here and sit behind you,” according to ABC News.
Jackson’s historic confirmation to the Supreme Court further puts Black women on the map in regards to politics. Between Vice President Kamala Harris or former Secretary of State Condelezza Rice, Jackson is a trailblazer who will become a role model for many.