Democratic senators on Thursday attempted to beat back allegations that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson would endanger children and be weak on crime if she’s confirmed to the Supreme Court.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, put the question to representatives of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, who were before the committee to attest that Judge Jackson was well-qualified for the high court.
He asked if there’s any truth to a Republican lawmaker’s claim that the nominee’s sentencing of child porn offenders “endangered children.”
“We did not find any evidence of that,” said Joseph Drayton, a witness testifying from the ABA. “It would have come out in our interviews. We have a confidential interview process.”
Republicans have pointed to more than half a dozen cases where Judge Jackson handed down sentences below the recommended minimum to felons convicted of possessing or distributing child porn. In two of the cases, the felons ended up reoffending after being released from prison, according to GOP senators on the Judiciary Committee.
The narrative has dominated headlines during this week’s confirmation hearings.
Progressive advocacy groups came to the judge’s defense calling the claims “QAnon smears.”
“At this point, almost every Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee has indulged in this QAnon-adjacent line of questioning,” a press release from Alliance for Justice read.
QAnon is a right-wing conspiracy theory that is baselessly centered on the belief that there is a network of Satan-worshiping pedophiles and cannibals within the federal government.
The New York Times reported Thursday QAnon supporters were applauding GOP lawmakers’ line of questioning related to the child porn sentences. “An apologist for child molesters,” Zak Paine, a QAnon supporter said in a video about Judge Jackson, according to the report.
Democratic senators charged the Republicans with distorting the judge’s record. They brought in law enforcement officials on Thursday to defend the judge, suggesting she is anything but easy on criminals.
“We never saw that in our research. That never came out and I don’t really think it’s true,” said Capt. Frederick Thomas, president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.
Republicans brought in their witnesses to give victims’ a voice and highlight concerns that the judge’s record could damage public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Alessandra Serano, chief legal officer with Operation Underground Railroad, said the images and videos depicting children revictimize them every time anyone views, downloads or possesses the pornography.
“These pictures or videos are real children. They are somebody’s kid,” she said.
The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to meet Monday to take up Judge Jackson’s nomination. Senate Democrats aim to have her confirmed before leaving for Easter recess, which begins April 8.
Judge Jackson will be replacing retiring Justice Stephen G. Breyer, who is scheduled to retire at the end of the court’s term, which wraps up in June.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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