Supreme Court nominee Katanji Brown Jackson began her confirmation hearing this week for her seat on the top court in the U.S.
Republicans unleashed an arsenal of attacks on Jackson on Tuesday, confronting her on issues that ranged from her sentences on child pornography defendants to her representation of Guantanamo Bay inmates to types of personal questions that senators have not asked any other nominees in their confirmation hearings.
Some lowlights of the first day of the confirmation hearing included Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz asking Jackson to define critical race theory. Jackson, the first Black female SCOTUS nominee, said that the educational theory “doesn’t come up in my work as a judge.” No other past nominees have been asked that question.
Few senators besides Cruz seemed eager to dwell on the topic of race. But Cruz was very eager to dig into critical race theory, which is a view of pervasive racism in American society and within U.S. history. It has been a favorite target for Republicans lately.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) was the only Black committee member. Booker said that Cruz’s exhaustive efforts to link Jackson to critical race theory fell short.
Controversial Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn also resurfaced the topic of critical race theory, saying that Jackson needed to grant public school parents the right to prevent children from being taught about race and the history of the race.
In another low moment for the grilling session, South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham asked Jackson what faith she is, and to rate her faithfulness “on a scale of 1 to 10.” Jackson answered the question but emphasized that there is no religious test in the Constitution.
Blackburn also managed to make another lowlight, when she left into transgender attacks.
The hearing lasted more than 12 hours. But Jackson was described as completely composed, even in the face of a barrage of questions that experts say were potentially outrageous.
Another marathon session is expected today, Wednesday, in which the 22 Senate Judiciary Committee members will again press her on issues, apparently both personal and work-related.
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