HELENA — The U.S. Senate has confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.
Jackson was confirmed 53-47 with Montana’s Democratic Senator Jon Tester voting in favor of the new justice, while Montana’s Republican Senator Steve Daines voted against the confirmation.
Republican Senators Mitt Romney, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joined all Democrats in supporting Jackson.
Tester praised Jackson for her record on the bench and said Thursday he was proud to join a bipartisan vote for her confirmation.
“During this confirmation process, I made clear that Judge Jackson had to show a strong commitment to upholding the rule of law and defending Montanans’ constitutional rights before she earned my support. She has demonstrated that she is extremely qualified to serve on the Supreme Court and has a deep understanding of the Second Amendment, antitrust enforcement for consolidation in the agriculture industry, issues around whether corporations should be considered people under the law, and other questions important to Montanans. She will be an impartial jurist who decides cases based on the facts presented, not on any personal ideology, which is why I was proud to join Republicans and Democrats in voting for her confirmation.”
Daines initially indicated he would vote against the confirmation of Jackson following a planned meeting with Jackson and Daines being canceled by the White House. On Monday, Daines reaffirmed his stance on the matter.
“As Montana’s United States Senator, I am committed to protecting the constitutional rights and values of Montanans. Montanans want a justice who will uphold the Constitution and make decisions based on the rule of law, not personal beliefs or the Left’s political agenda,” Daines said. “Judge Jackson’s soft-on-crime record and her views of the separation of powers are not in line with what Montanans want in a Supreme Court justice. That’s why I voted against Judge Jackson’s lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.”
Jackson will replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who is retiring at the end of the term. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and had previously served as a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and served as a United States circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
