Ketanji Brown Jackson's record is 'soft on crime,' Tennessee lawmaker says

WASHINGTON (TND) — The Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings begin Monday for Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden's nominee for Supreme Court justice.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said she has “great concerns” regarding Jackson’s record.

“You have to look at her record and say, 'Why is it that she thought 1,500 criminals should be let go during COVID and because of COVID?' said Blackburn to The National Desk’s Jan Jeffcoat. "These are hardened criminals that she was putting back on the street.”

According to Blackburn, Jackson has a history of sentencing sex offenders and child porn offenders “five years below the minimum” recommended sentence.

Why would she choose to do that? Why would she be soft on crime?” asked Blackburn.

In one ruling, Jackson denied compassionate release for medical reasons to convicted sex offender Jeremy Sears in June 2020, according to The Washington Post.

“The possession and distribution of child pornography is an extremely serious crime because it involves trading depictions of the actual sexual assault of children, and the abuse that these child victims endure will remain available on the internet forever,” said Jackson in the ruling.

“She also has not been able to define where she stands on court-packing, or to define what is her judicial philosophy,” said Blackburn.

“If I’m fortunate enough to be confirmed as the next associate justice of the Supreme Court United States, I can only hope that my life and career, my love of this country and the Constitution, and my commitment to upholding the rule of law and the sacred principles upon which this great nation was founded, will inspire future generations of Americans,” said Jackson upon her nomination.