By Deborah Bailey,
AFRO DC Editor

DC Circuit Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is just one step away from becoming the first Black woman in U.S. History to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). 

This week a 53-47 senate vote advanced Jackson’s nomination to the Senate floor. Supporters were expecting the Judiciary Committee to advance Brown-Jackson’s nomination to the Senate floor for a full vote, but they instead deadlocked in an 11-11 vote.

As he saw that his Republican Judiciary Committee peers were set against allowing Brown Jackson’s nomination, Sen. Cory Booker (D- NJ) addressed his colleagues noting the hypocrisy of their opposition to Brown Jackson’s nomination and disrespectful style of questioning her fitness for the US Supreme Court.  

 “How can they disrespect a person like her that has done everything right in her life and in her journey? How qualified do you have to be, three times confirmed by the Senate in a bipartisan manner?” Booker asked. 

He ended with a tribute to Maya Angelou reciting her iconic poem, “And Still I Rise.” 

“Why does this poem strike a chord with so many Americans? Because they feel it in their bones,” Booker stated as he recited the first stanza of the poem:

‘You may try to write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies 

You may have trod me down in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I rise.’

“Rise Judge Jackson, all the way to the highest court in the land, sister Jackson, Judge Jackson,” Booker affirmed in closing words before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) discharged Brown Jackson’s nomination from the Judiciary Committee shortly after the committee’s deadlock on Monday. 

The full Senate vote to advance Brown Jackson’s nomination was bi-partisan and included all senate Democrats and Republicans Susan Collins (R-Maine) who disclosed her vote in favor of Brown-Jackson last week after the conclusion of nomination hearings. Republican Senators Mitt Romney (R-SD) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AL) also affirmed the procedural vote advancing Brown-Jackson’s nomination. 

Romney and Murkowski, like Susan Collins, issued statements prior to the Senate procedural vote affirming they will vote for Brown Jackson when the full confirmation vote reaches the Senate floor, thus assuring Brown Jackson’s elevation to the role of associate justice of the US Supreme Court. Jackson, if confirmed, would be replacing Justice Stephen Breyer who will retire at the end of the Court’s current session.

Both Collins and Murkowski stated that the Senate nomination process has “become broken” and more partisan in recent times. Romney stated Brown Jackson “more than meets the standard of excellence and integrity.” 

The vote is now on the Senate calendar. Democratic Senators have vowed action will take place on the vote as early as this Friday.  Stay tuned to the AFRO for updates to this story.

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