Lindsey Graham defends vote against Ketanji Brown Jackson and not clapping for her confirmation

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Senator Lindsey Graham released a video defending his vote against Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson the day that she will celebrate the historic appointment at the White House.

Mr Graham asked some of the most aggressive questions during Ms Jackson’s confirmation hearings, despite having previously voted to confirm her to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The South Carolina Republican had previously lobbied for President Joe Biden to nominate J Michelle Childs of his home state to the court before the president ultimately picked Ms Jackson.

But Mr Graham used much of his questioning of Ms Jackson to complain about the way Democrats treated Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he was accused of sexual assault, which he forcefully denied. Mr Graham cited that in his video on Friday.

“Remember Amy Coney Barrett, how they came after her,” he said. During the hearing, Mr Graham asked Ms Jackson what her religion was as a point to contrast how Democrats asked Amy Coney Barrett about her faith during her Supreme Court confirmation hearings, when she was asked about her Catholic faith.

“Remember Kavanaugh, I do,” he said in the video. “Compare that hearing with what happened to Judge Jackson is ridiculous.”

Mr Graham also defended his questioning.

“I ask her hard questions and she gave bad answers,” he said in defending his no vote. “She’s a judicial activist, she gets outcomes she wants no matter how the law is written. When it comes to crime, her record is very, very dangerous.”

Mr Graham also criticised how Democrats had previously attempted to filibuster former judge Janice Rogers Brown. Former president George W Bush nominated her in 2003 to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit – often seen as a stepping stone to join the Supreme Court – and was ultimately confirmed in 2005 after Democrats blocked her for two years.

Mr Graham also criticised those who called out Republicans who exited the Senate floor shortly after the vote, leaving only GOP Senator Mitt Romney of Utah – one of only three Republicans who voted to confirm Ms Jackson – standing on the floor and applauding.

“When we ask hard questions of an African-American nominee who’s liberal, all of a sudden we’re racist,” he said. “They destroy conservative judges and expect us to just clap and vote ‘yes.’ That’s ridiculous, dangerous and it is not going to happen.”

Mr Graham said during the confirmation vote that if Republicans had controlled the Senate, Ms Jackson would not have been nominated.

Ms Jackson is slated to celebrate her confirmation at the White House on Friday afternoon.