- The moment came during a tense exchange with Senator Marsha Blackburn
- Blackburn quizzed Jackson on sex and gender issues amid the Lia Thomas fallout
- Jackson was deemed ‘Well Qualified’ to serve on the Supreme Court by the ABA
- But the judicial committee is keen to probe Jackson’s judicial philosophy
- She was grilled by Republicans on the second day of the marathon hearing
- Ted Cruz probed her on critical race theory and books such as ‘Antiracist Baby’
- Josh Hawley questioned her on her sentencing in child pornography cases
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson refused to define the word ‘woman’ during the fiery second day of her confirmation hearing conducted by the Senate‘s Judiciary Committee. Â
The moment came during a tense exchange with Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) who pressed Jackson on sex and gender issues amid the fallout of biological male swimmer Lia Thomas storming to victory in the NCAA championships against female competitors.
Quoting late Supreme Court judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Blackburn said: ‘Physical differences between men and women are enduring. The two sexes are not fungible. A community made up exclusively of one sex is different from a community composed of both.’
‘Do you agree with Justice Ginsburg that there are physical differences between men and women that are enduring?’ the senator asked.
When Jackson claimed she had never heard the quote, Blackburn asked directly: ‘Can you define the word ”woman”?’
‘Can I provide a definition?’ Jackson responded.
‘No, I can’t,’ she declared, before adding: ‘I’m not a biologist’.
Jackson’s staunch refusal to offer a definition of a woman came at the end of the second day of questioning which tackled the big issues of race, abortion and judicial philosophy.
It was a grueling marathon of debate for President Joe Biden’s historic pick, who is making history as the first black woman nominated for the court.
On the second day of the tense Senate hearing, there were other developments including:
- Judge Jackson defended her sentencing record in child pornography cases when criticized for going soft on these offenders
- ‘As a mother and a judge who has had to deal with these cases, I was thinking that nothing could be further from the truth,’ Jackson said
- Added that child pornography statutes for sentencing are outdated
- She wouldn’t comment on whether she would support court packing
- Suggested liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer were wrong to speak against it in the past
- Graham compared GOP’s mild questioning of Jackson to the harsh treatment Democrats gave Republican Supreme Court nominees in the past
- He then stormed out of the meeting following an exchange on Guantanamo Bay
- Senator Josh Hawley pressed her on her sentences for pedophiles and Ted Cruz grilled her on critical race theory
By David Averre and Katelyn Caralle
