Hearings Begin for Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court Justice Thomas Hospitalized

Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson have begun. Today, Brown is appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The 51 year old currently sits on D.C’s Federal Appellate Court and had been considered the front-runner for the vacancy since Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement in January. Democrats have touted President Biden’s pick as a qualified ‘historic’ nominee as she would be the first black woman justice, while Republicans have criticized her record on crime and the support she holds from left-wing groups. Jackson has previously worked as clerk for retiring Justice Breyer , a federal public defender, an attorney in private practice, a federal district court judge and a member of the U.S. sentencing commission. Jackson will answer questions from the committee tomorrow and Wednesday and witnesses will testify on Thursday, Democrats hope to confirm her by early April.

In other supreme court news, Justice Clarance Thomas was admitted to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington D.C. on Friday evening after experiencing flu-like symptoms. After testing, Thomas was diagnosed with an infection and is resting comfortably while his symptoms are ‘abating’.