Lindsey Graham to oppose Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation

Sen. Lindsey Graham announced Thursday he will oppose Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.

The South Carolina Republican had supported Judge Jackson’s confirmation to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last year.

But he said during last week’s confirmation hearings that he found the nominee to be an “evasive witness” in answering senators’ questions about her judicial record.

“Her record is overwhelming in its lack of a steady judicial philosophy,” he said Thursday on the Senate floor.

Mr. Graham took issue with Judge Jackson’s sentencing of child porn offenders, saying she was not tough on them and did not deter their behavior. Republicans claim she has repeatedly given child porn offenders sentences below judicial guidelines.

“There has been an explosion of child pornography on the internet,” Mr. Graham said.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote Monday on Judge Jackson’s confirmation before her nomination heads to the full Senate.

Judge Jackson will have bipartisan support when the Senate takes up her confirmation vote: Sen. Susan Collins, Maine Republican, announced this week her intent to join Democrats in voting in favor of President Biden’s nominee.

Ms. Collins, Mr. Graham and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Republican, were the only three GOP senators to vote to confirm Judge Jackson to the circuit court seat last year. It is unclear how Ms. Murkowski will vote on Judge Jackson’s high court nomination.

Judge Jackson will replace Justice Stephen G. Breyer when he retires after the court wraps up its term in June.

Democrats have said they hope to have her confirmed before leaving for Easter recess, which begins April 8.