Ketanji Brown Jackson hearing decorum far cry from explosive Kavanaugh confirmation: ‘Behaving themselves’

It isn’t a cakewalk, however Choose Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Courtroom affirmation hearings are a far cry from the Kavanaugh remedy. 

Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans – nonetheless seething over how Democrats handled Justice Brett Kavanaugh throughout his 2018 hearings – kicked off Jackson’s affirmation assuring her that she would not be topic to “that disgraceful conduct,” as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, mentioned. 

Since then, Jackson has confronted robust and substantive questions on the legislation and judicial philosophy. However there have been no outbursts, interruptions or character assaults. 

KETANJI BROWN JACKSON CITES JUSTICE AMY CONEY BARRETT AS SHE DODGES QUESTION ON COURT-PACKING

“I believe everyone’s just about behaving themselves.” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, mentioned of the decorum on the excessive stakes Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for President Biden’s nominee.

The primary two days of Jackson’s hearings featured robust questions from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on whether or not she was too lenient on intercourse offenders – which Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ailing., dismissed an “assault.” Cruz pressed her on whether or not she backs vital race idea – Jackson mentioned she has “by no means used it” and it is not a part of her work as a choose. And Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., accused Jackson of twisting the legislation and reducing a legal sentence “since you have been sympathetic to a fentanyl drug kingpin.” Jackson mentioned she “respectfully” disagrees. 

However amid ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, there have been no protests contained in the listening to room, repeated disruptions, superstar friends or mass arrests by Capitol Police that marked the hearings for Kavanaugh. 

SUPREME COURT: HAWLEY SPARS WITH JACKSON OVER CHILD SEX PREDATOR’S SENTENCE: ‘IS HE THE VICTIM HERE?’

“Is not it rather a lot completely different thank Kavanaugh?” Judiciary Committee Rating Member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, mentioned of the tenor of the hearings. He presided over Kavanaugh’s 2018 affirmation. 

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) meets U.S. Supreme Courtroom nominee and federal appeals courtroom Choose Ketanji Brown Jackson, in his workplace at america Capitol constructing in Washington, U.S., March 9, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein 

Kavanaugh confronted sexual assault allegations throughout his affirmation, which he forcefully denied. Democrats, in the meantime, touted his important accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, and lawyer Michael Avenatti, who claimed to signify but extra ladies Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted. Dozens have been arrested protesting Kavanaugh’s affirmation, and celebrities like Alyssa Milano attended his listening to. 

BIDEN’S SUPREME COURT PICK KETANJI BROWN JACKSON TESTIFIES: LIVE UPDATES

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, mentioned there is a huge distinction why the Jackson hearings are continuing with out the all of the drama. 

“They’re not elevating any points regarding her {qualifications} or competence,” Hirono mentioned of her GOP colleagues. “It is a very huge distinction. It isn’t usually that you’ve got any individual being accused of sexual assault being thought of for the Supreme Courtroom.” 

Requested by Fox Information Digital if GOP complaints in regards to the Kavanaugh listening to have been justified, Hirono mentioned, “no.” 

Supreme Courtroom nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks with Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, exterior Hirono’s workplace on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Choose Jackson’s affirmation listening to begins March 21. If confirmed, she can be the courtroom’s first Black feminine justice.
(AP Picture/Carolyn Kaster)

KETANJI BROWN JACKSON JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY IN SPOTLIGHT AS REPUBLICANS DEMAND MORE FROM SUPREME COURT NOMINEE

Republicans this week additionally made clear they’re nonetheless sore over how Democrats and the media handled Justice Amy Coney Barrett in 2020. Barrett was nominated simply weeks earlier than the presidential election, inflicting Democrats to decry her course of as a sham. 

The Washington Put up, in the meantime, revealed an investigation of Barrett headlined: “Amy Coney Barrett served as a ‘handmaid’ in Christian group Individuals of Reward.” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Tuesday vented to Jackson that the media and Democrats made Barrett out to be “some type of weirdo” due to her Catholic religion. “We’re uninterested in it, and it is not going to occur to you,” Graham advised Jackson.

However Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Tuesday lamented that Jackson did get “harsh” questions.

“The prior questions have been quite harsh,” Feinstein advised Fox Information Digital when exiting the listening to room. She did not title names, however this was following questions from Graham, R-S.C., about Jackson’s private life to make a degree that sure questions that conservatives, together with Barrett, beforehand confronted ought to be out of bounds. 

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., greets Supreme Courtroom nominee Choose Ketanji Brown Jackson in her hideaway workplace on the Capitol, Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Washington. (AP Picture/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

GRAHAM RIPS DEMS’ TREATMENT OF PAST REPUBLICAN NOMINEES IN JACKSON HEARING: ‘WE’RE TIRED OF IT’

“This can be a laborious place in there when folks sit for a very long time and take a number of questions and even some abuse,” Feinstein mentioned. 

Sen. Cory Booker, who had a self-proclaimed “Spartacus” second in the course of the Kavanaugh affirmation, mentioned Tuesday he thinks Jackson’s listening to is civil. 

“Every little thing has been properly throughout the bounds” Booker advised Fox Information Digital about committee’s decorum and questioning thus far, “and I believe it will proceed to be an excellent listening to. “

Booker additionally took no challenge with how Barrett’s hearings went: “I sat by Amy Coney Barrett and I assumed that was actually an amazing, nice listening to. She’s a rare candidate. I did not assist her, however I used to be very proud of the best way that went.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks on the Conservative Political Motion Convention (CPAC) Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Picture/John Raoux)
(AP)

The hardest questioning Jackson confronted got here from previous and potential GOP presidential hopefuls. Hawley explored one particular youngster pornography case wherein Jackson made statements from the bench sympathetic to the defendant. 

“I am simply attempting to determine, Choose, is he the sufferer right here or are the victims the victims?” Hawley mentioned. 

Cruz dug in on Jackson’s ideas on vital race idea and the curriculum that was taught on the non-public college in Washington, D.C., the Georgetown Day College, the place Jackson sits on the board of trustees. He was armed with poster dimension pages of youngsters’s books and requested Jackson whether or not she thought infants have been racist. Jackson mentioned that no youngster ought to be made to really feel as if they’re racist. 

Cotton, in the meantime, pushed Jackson on whether or not the U.S. wants extra cops. She declined to reply. 

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., mentioned the tenor and depth of the senators’ questions may be measured by their political calculations.

“I believe there is a variation relying on the extent of the presidential ambition of the questioner,” Whitehouse advised Fox Information Digital.

The third day of Jackson’s hearings begins Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET.

Fox Information’ Aubrie Spady and Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.