Missouri Republican Senator Roy Blunt said that the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court was an important moment in the history of the United States, but added he would not vote to confirm her.
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday, Blunt said that while Jackson’s anticipated confirmation was a “high point” for the country, and he understands the “importance of this moment,” he would not vote to confirm her due to concerns about her judicial philosophy.
After welcoming him onto the program, host George Stephanopoulos asked Blunt whether he had made up his mind on his vote for Judge Jackson’s confirmation.
“Well, I have, George,” Blunt responded. “[Initially], my sense is that the president certainly had every good intention and every right in the campaign to talk about putting the first black woman on the court. I think it’s time for that to happen. I was hoping that I could be part of that. I had a great conversation with her. Really, there are two [criteria] I set immediately. One is, is the person qualified for the job? And two is, what’s her judicial philosophy? She’s certainly qualified. I think she’s got a great personality, I think will be a good colleague on the court. But the judicial philosophy seems to be not the philosophy of looking at what the law says and the Constitution says and applying that, but going through some method that allows you to try to look at the Constitution as a more flexible document, and even the law. And there are cases that show that that’s her view.”
“I think she’s certainly going to be confirmed,” Blunt added. “I think it will be a high point for the country to see her go on the Court and take her unique perspective to the Court, but I don’t think she’s the kind of judge that will really do the kind of work that I think needs to be done by the Court. And I won’t be supporting her, but I’ll be joining others in understanding the importance of this moment.”
“If it’s a high point for the country, why not support her?” Stephanopoulos asked.
“Well, I think lifetime appointments have a different criteria than other appointments,” Blunt responded, adding that he previously supported Joe Biden’s temporary appointees. Blunt also said that he has not yet supported any of Biden’s nominations for lower court judges because he believes judiciary appointments should be judged on more than just their broad qualifications. He said that Jackson “just doesn’t meet the criteria.”
“[The] advise and consent part of the Constitution gives the Senate more responsibility than just saying she’s qualified, you appointed her, we’re going to approve her,” Blunt continued. “And that, clearly, has not been the role of the Senate for a couple of decades now. And it certainly wasn’t the role that Democrats saw as their role in the last Congress when three qualified judges had the same kind of view that I think we have now, that you need to also agree with whether you think that judge is going to be a judge that thinks it’s their job to rule on what they think the law and the Constitution should say, or is it their job to rule on what the law and the Constitution does say? And I come down strongly on [the latter] side.”
Jackson drew severe criticism from Republican leadership for a lack of candor during her confirmation hearings while answering questions about her judicial philosophy. To date, only one Republican in the Senate, Susan Collins of Maine, has announced that she will support Judge Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.
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Source: Dailywire
