With Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer ready to retire by the end of this current term, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is being considered as a top candidate for the position. Jackson is a Harvard Law graduate who also previously served for Justice Stephen Breyer during the period from 1999-2000.
She has previously been nominated for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals by President Joe Biden as a replacement for Merrick Garland when he was appointed as attorney general. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is the second-highest court in terms of national authority after the Supreme Court. It has jurisdiction over several important cases involving Congress and even some executive branches of agencies. Jackson is one of the only six black female circuit court judges that are currently serving.
“@POTUS, it’s time for a Black woman on the Supreme Court.” Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley wrote on Twitter.
Politicians and citizens alike are bringing back Biden’s promise to elect the first African American woman as a Supreme Court Justice, making him likely to deliver what he told people should happen so the Supreme Court looks like “look like the country.” She also seems to have bipartisan support that could lend the decision in her favor, as it did back in June 2021, when the 53-44 votes in her favor included 3 Republicans.
On the side of Justice Stephen Breyer, sources claim he is set to appear alongside President Joe Biden at the White House as his retirement is soon to be announced. He has spent more than 27 years in the Supreme Court now. If Jackson is appointed as a replacement by Biden, it would still maintain the 6-3 ratio of conservative and liberal judges.
Former presidential nominee Hillary Clinton wrote about his retirement on her Twitter, “Thank you to Justice Breyer for 30 years of distinguished service on the bench, and for his admirable decision to retire now. We are grateful for your career dedicated to fairness and justice for all.”
People are also already worried and skeptical about Republican member Mitch McConnell who has a history of bringing up unreliable rules whenever the opposing party is making a decision of this sort. “Mitch McConnell: “It is longstanding Senate tradition that we cannot confirm a Supreme Court justice in a year where there’s a new season of Euphoria on HBO Max.” Wrote the Daily Show host Trevor Noah on his Twitter.
