Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has made the best impression on the Senate leaderthe democrat Chuck Schumer (New York), who defines her with words such as “strength” and “empathy”, for which she rules out that her confirmation to the Supreme Court faces severe setbacks, anticipating that there is significant support from Republicans.
“Know? She empathizes with the people who come to court,” the senator said in an interview.
After the president Joe Biden officially nominate Judge Jackson, some members of the Senate met with her, including Democrat Dick Durbin (Illinois) – who is leading the confirmation process – the Republican Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell (Kentucky) and leader Schumer.
“She just knocked my socks off,” Senator Schumer launched without further ado. That expression in English does not have a literal translation into Spanish, but it basically expresses how a person can be so impressive that it is exciting to have met them.
What can it represent for communities of color, including Latinos, that Judge Jackson has been nominated?Senator Schumer was asked, who did not hesitate to highlight the opportunity that he, as head of the Senate, had the opportunity to help reorganize the judicial map of the country, making it more similar to the population served by judges.
“I have always believed that, for now, our courts do not reflect the rest of the country. So, during my tenure as Majority Leader, I have expressed that we must have many, many more women, and many more people of color in the pews. [de juez]not just, you know, fancy members of law firms,” he said.
Schumer highlighted as part of this work the confirmation of 42 judges nominated by President Biden in his first year – according to a report by the US Courts office – and celebrated the number only close to what John F. Kennedy did. , which achieved the confirmation of 46 in the same period.
So far it could be impressive, but the Democratic president needs to exceed the 245 judges appointed by the president donald trumpwho managed to change – with the support of the Republicans in the Senate – the structure of the judicial system for the delivery of justice at the first level, in the District courts.
“Of the judges we have confirmed, three-quarters have been women and two-thirds have been people of color.”
Senator Schumer
The Democratic leader proudly defends the achievement achieved so far, which added 10 judges in the Court of Appeals, including the Latin judge Myrna Pérezin the New York-based Second Circuit Court of Appeals, considered one of the most powerful.
“Only one, for example, Judge Myrna Pérez, she is now in the Second Circuit, probably the second or third most important court in the country“, said. “She is the only one dispatching there. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants.”
From that court, in fact, came the judge of the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina in that position. Schumer does not hesitate to highlight that fact, especially since he proposed it to President Barack Obama.
“I went to see President Obama when there was a vacancy under his term [presidencial] and I told him that his best option was going to be Sonia Sotomayor, and he listened to me”, he recalls. “So now we have her, we also have so many other judges that we’ve added. And not only do we have that demographic diversity for the first time, but professional diversity.”
Regarding the diversity of experts as judges, Senator Schumer refers to the fact that some are defenders of civil rights, of the right to vote, prosecutors, lawyers who have worked in firms.
“It’s people who come from the community,” he said. “And now we have the chance again to make history with the nomination of Judge Kentaji.”
Challenges Impacting Latinos
Any decision made by the judges of the Supreme Court has an impact on Latinos, whether it is on the right to vote –such as state laws that limit the vote to people of color–, reproductive health or immigration issues.
Justice Jackson – who came to the DC Circuit Court nominated by President Obama – would come to represent some balance on a court with six conservative justices, including three appointed by President Trump.
Senator Schumer considered that Judge Jackson’s profile is perfect for decisions in the High Court.
“First, when I studied his history I used two words with the letter B”, he pointed out in reference to “brilliant”, then mentioned that he showed “love” in his decisions and that was “brilliant”.
“She has come through life as a young woman, through her career, and legally her career… you will not find anyone who crosses your path to criticize her,” he said. “These people may not agree with her judicial opinions, they may not agree with her legal philosophy, but no one will criticize her personally.”
Decisions on the protection of ‘dreamers’ through the program for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) could fall into the hands of Judge Jacksonafter a federal judge in Texas described the program as “illegal” in July 2021.
It could also be part of the debate on the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program, known as Remain in Mexico, which President Biden wants to end, as well as making a decision on the controversial Title 42, which allows the accelerated expulsion of immigrants for health reasons under the argument of the COVID-19 pandemic.
republican support
On March 21, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin hearings to interview Judge Jackson. Senator Schumer said that, unlike what happened with Judge Amy Coney Barrett -appointed by Trump-, the process took 25 days to start, not the 16 that only the Republicans took.
The Democrat is confident that the judge will be treated fairly, even pointing out that there is support from some Republicans, mentioning that even Senator Charles Ernest Grassley (Iowa) had expressed moving forward “as soon as possible” with the process.
“They may not agree with her, but they haven’t treated her rudely,” Schumer said. “We want to finish the first week of April.”
Judge Jackson would arrive in place of Judge Stephen Breyer, who announced his retirement.
Source-eldiariony.com