Wesley Bell, St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, shared a story with The St. Louis American on Wednesday regarding Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“For too long, our government, our courts haven’t looked like America,” Biden said as he introduced Brown Jackson, 51, at The White House.
“Recently I had the opportunity to hire a veteran attorney, who happened to be a woman. I knew this individual was intelligent, possessed an exemplary command of the law, and had the experience and temperament to do the job,” he said.
Listed among her references was a retired judge, and Bell contacted him.
“When I called him, he was on another phone call and said he would call me back, but asked me, ‘What is this about?’ I responded that I was calling to get his thoughts on the attorney. His response was: “Hire her!” Bell said.
“As [Brown Jackson’s] confirmation hearings begin, an important and necessary step in due diligence, there is no need for long and drawn-out debates. I don’t anticipate receiving any phone calls from any Senators, but if I do, my response will simply be: ‘Hire her!’”
Bell added Brown Jackson’s work as a public defender “provides one of the most important characteristics of a jurist, [which is] perspective.”
President Joe Biden announced his selection to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on Feb. 25.
“For too long, our government, our courts haven’t looked like America,” Biden said as he introduced Brown Jackson, 51, at The White House.
“I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications, and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level.”
Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings will begin March 21, the Senate Judiciary Committee announced Wednesday. She could be confirmed by mid-April.
Jackson, a U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit judge, met Wednesday with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Judiciary Committee chair Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), and Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa.)
“As I have said from the time that Justice Breyer announced his retirement, the committee will undertake a fair and timely process to consider Judge Jackson’s nomination,” Durbin said in announcing the confirmation schedule.
“I look forward to Judge Jackson’s appearance before the committee and to respectful and dignified hearings.”
U.S. Rep. Cori Bush said Brown Jackson’s nomination is “long-awaited, long overdue.”
“History shows that the appointment of a Black justice with a strong record of affirming constitutional rights is crucial to confronting this country’s many crises. With so much at stake – from voting rights and reproductive justice to immigration protections and our fundamental right to health care – millions more Americans will benefit from the moral clarity and distinctive jurisprudence of Judge Jackson,” Bush said in a release.
Brown-Jackson has “committed herself to a longstanding judicial career rooted in integrity,” Bush added. “In a moment marked by racial inequity, climate catastrophe, and attacks on civil rights, a record of moral clarity is crucial – I trust that is what Justice Jackson will bring to the bench.”
With a 50-50 Senate, Democrats do not need Republican help to confirm Judge Jackson. It can be accomplished with their 50 votes and Vice President Kamala Harris breaking a deadlock.
Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Susan Collins of Maine supported Brown Jackson when she earned confirmation to the appellate court in 2021.
During one of her hearings, Brown Jackson said, “I come from a background of public service. My parents were in public service, and my brother was a police officer and in the military.”
“Being in the public defenders’ office felt very much like the opportunity to help with my skills and talents.”
Among Judge Jackson’s more notable rulings was one concerning Congress’ ability to investigate the White House. She ordered the disclosure of certain documents by former President Donald Trump related to the Jan. 6 insurrection.
U.S. Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City) said on Twitter, “By all accounts, Ketanji Brown Jackson is an outstanding legal mind [and] precisely the kind of jurist that deserves to sit upon the highest court in America. I welcome this decision from [President Biden] and look forward to history being made when the Senate confirms this impeccable nominee.”
Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up near Miami in Florida. She was a member of the debate team at Miami Palmetto Senior High School before earning her undergraduate degree and a law degree at Harvard University. She also served as editor of Harvard Law Review.
She completed three clerkships, including one with Justice Breyer. From 2013 to 2021, she served as a district judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Jackson was also vice chair of the United States Sentencing Commission from 2010 to 2014.
