'Let her answer!': Lindsey Graham draws frustrated outbursts after repeatedly interrupting Ketanji Brown Jackson

Lindsey Graham and John Kennedy
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) repeatedly interrupted Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, drawing frustrated responses from audience members and other senators on the Judiciary Committee.

Most of Graham's interruptions took place during a tense exchange about Jackson's approach to sentencing in child pornography cases.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Washington Post White House reporter Seung Min Kim tweeted that the audience in the hearing room grew "audibly frustrated" with Graham's interruptions and that she heard one woman mutter "shut up."

During his initial remarks on Monday, Graham expressed frustration that President Biden chose to nominate Jackson rather than Judge Michelle Childs of South Carolina.

"The attacks from the left against Judge Childs was really pretty vicious, to be honest with you," Graham said Monday, adding that he believed 60 or more senators would have voted to confirm Childs.

This is not the first time Graham has become heated during a Supreme Court confirmation hearing.

"This is the most unethical sham since I've been in politics ... this is going to destroy the ability of good people to come forward because of this crap!" he yelled during the 2018 hearings for Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexual assault.

Grayson Quay

Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-GazetteModern AgeThe American ConservativeThe Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.