Thread by @JudiciaryDems

Important FACT CHECK re: the First Step Act—a landmark bipartisan Durbin/Grassley-led criminal justice reform bill.

Yesterday, the junior Senator from Arkansas questioned Judge Jackson about a case dealing with the First Step Act’s compassionate release provision. (thread)

In that case, Judge Jackson reduced the sentence of Keith Young, finding that a significant change in the law after he was sentenced was an “extraordinary and compelling” circumstance that justified compassionate release.

Judge Jackson considered multiple factors in her decision, including Mr. Young’s serious medical conditions, his limited criminal history, and good behavior in prison. And she reduced his sentence but did not end it—he will not be released until March 2028.

Senator Cotton suggested that Judge Jackson “twisted and rewrote the law.” But that’s simply not true. Other courts have taken the exact same position. In fact, it has come up so often that there is now what’s called a “circuit split” on this very question.

The 4th Circuit and the 10th Circuit have agreed with Judge Jackson's position. A circuit split like this doesn’t happen unless you have a lot of trial judges trying to resolve a difficult issue in good faith.

The Durbin/Grassley-led First Step Act passed the Senate 87-12 and was signed into law by President Donald Trump. The Senator from Arkansas's personal distaste for this landmark bill is no reason to distort Judge Jackson's record when it comes to implementing this law.

Related ICYMI: Independent fact checkers found that Senator Blackburn's claims about Jackson’s record on releasing criminals during the pandemic were "mostly FALSE."
politifact.com/factchecks/202…