TOlla Supreme Court will sit there first African American judge in over two hundred years of history of the highest judicial body in the country.
Ketanji Brown Jacksonthe former Harvard student and staunch champion of minority rights, was nominated by the president of the United States and, if confirmed, will take over from the liberal judge, Stephen Breyer.
The first African American judge in the Supreme Court
The nomination must pass Senate scrutiny, but there should be no particular obstacles. The only one might be a case of equality, as Democrats and Republicans have the same number of seats. At this point, the casting vote to confirm Jackson could therefore be up to the vice president Kamala Harris.
A historical choice that changes the balance
The appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson it is historical and reflects Biden’s election promise to «increasingly diversify the Court, which for over two centuries it was made up of only white men ».
A choice, however, amply justified from Jackson’s experience as a public defender, work she carried out from 2005 to 2007. But also for the work done in 2012, nominated by Barack Obama, at the “United States Judicial Commission“. An independent body that is responsible for establishing the guidelines for judgments which can be issued for any crime.
In that role Brown Jackson worked on the discussed “Drugs Minus Two Amendment“, A text that effectively governed the penalties relating to drugs. And which, at the time, caused a sensation because it was a decision with retroactive effects, which allowed about 12,000 inmates to get a reduction in sentence it’s at 1,800 to obtain immediate release.
Harward’s former student champion of minorities
Brown Jackson, the former civil rights student, thus seems destined to become the worthy replacement in the heart of American liberals for the feminist icon Ruth Bader Ginsburgwho passed away two years ago after a long illness.
Ketanji Brown Jackson, 51, a progressive daughter of teachers, just eight months ago became a federal judge on the District Columbia Court of Appeals circuit in Washington, America’s most important district. With Sonia Sotomayor, 67 years old, Hispanic, ea Elena Kagan61, will form a trio of women, all three of liberal orientation, within the Supreme Court (Jackson is the first nominated by Biden, the other two were chosen by Obama).
In the investiture speech, the new judge recalled her past, as if to anticipate criticism. He talked about his uncle who went to jail when she was still a student. But also recalled another uncle, once the Miami police chief.
First African American judge, Republicans on a war footing
The conservatives they have already raised their shields towards Brown Jackson, but she, described as a charismatic and with great dialectical skills, it is not a woman who is so easily frightened.
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