Thread by @JeffRoushPoetry

So while @LeaderMcConnell pretends not to have made up his mind about Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, he is trying out a few talking points for what will be his inevitable opposition. (Thread)
#LiveBlue2022
#ResistanceUnited

washingtontimes.com/news/2022/mar/…

1. How dare democrats nominate someone who may have empathy for criminal defendants? This is disturbing for two reasons. First, in a system that presumes innocence, why should a judge not come in with empathy for a criminal defendant?

Empathy doesn’t mean favoring that side. It means understanding emotions and viewpoints on a human level. The kind of thing you would hope a judge considering intent elements of a crime would be able to do.

merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emp…

And the notion McConnell expresses of defendants coming in with an advantage? Utterly ridiculous. Prosecutors almost always have tremendous advantages in a criminal case. Having a single Supreme Court Justice who had defense experience will not change that.

Of course, this is a more vague, veiled version of the wildly inflammatory and inaccurate assault from Josh Hawley, suggesting Judge Brown Jackson favors child pornographers. As one expects when Hawley says things, it’s wrong, stupid, and disgusting.

msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-…

2. Court-packing. McConnell complained that Judge Brown Jackson didn’t give an opinion on court-packing. This, if it happens, would be a function of the legislature. The Court wouldn’t pack itself; if anything, it’s something on which she might have to weigh in when challenged.

Further, Judge Brown Jackson is being nominated to become the ninth justice. She isn’t part of a packing process; her nomination isn’t even being rushed at the end of a president’s term, or the result of another nominee being shelved for naked partisan power.

Indeed, this line looks to be directed toward (a) finding an excuse to vote against an exceptionally qualified candidate, and (b) use the idea of court-packing to suggest illegitimacy for a nominee for whom the notion has no actual relevance.

3. Finally, McConnell has alluded to “left dark-money groups” as supporting her. Two immediate responses here. First, it ignores a broad array of support that Judge Brown Jackson has, across the political spectrum. The FOP is not a liberal group.

fop.net/2022/02/fop-na…

And second, @LeaderMcConnell complaining about money in politics is like a white paper produced after hypocrisy and irony finish a month-long summit meeting.

ballotpedia.org/McConnell_v._F…

There will be more, of course: plenty of dog whistles from GOP senators who just can’t help themselves, plenty of allusions to illegitimacy or to overturned opinions (only 14 out of 600 written opinions). There is nothing there.

Judge Brown Jackson is impeccably qualified. Her opinions are thoughtful and measured. None of the GOP opposition we will see is anything but lies, racism, and/or hypocritical partisan hackery, whether they dress it as something more or not. She deserves to be confirmed.