Monday kicked off the confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden's nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, and senators are already off to the races.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) made waves during his initial remarks: He lamented the dramatics of confirming Justice Brett Kavanaugh, as well as his displeasure at how Jackson, rather than shortlisted contender Judge Michelle Childs, was selected to fill Breyer's vacancy.
"The attacks from the left against Judge Childs was really pretty vicious, to be honest with you," Graham said. "This is a new game for the Supreme Court, and this game is particularly disturbing to me. Because there's been a wholesale effort of the left to take down a nominee from my state."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
"If that's the way the game's going to be played then I'll have a response and I don't expect it to… reward that way of playing the game," he added while guessing that Childs would have earned 60 or more votes, rather than the simple majority needed to confirm a justice.
Graham had "lobbied hard" for Childs, "and previously warned that it could be problematic for him to vote for another potential pick," The Hill writes.
The senator also got ahead of criticism he expects to follow Republicans' examination of Jackson.
"We're all racist if we ask hard questions — it's not gonna fly with us," he said. "We're used to it by now, at least I am. So it's not gonna matter a bit."
Watch his full address below:
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summitSpeed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Israeli security cabinet OKs Gaza City takeoverSpeed Read Netanyahu approved a proposal for Israeli Defense Forces to take over the largest population center in the Gaza Strip
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fightSpeed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry growsSpeed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade dealSpeed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashesSpeed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade dealSpeed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'
