“It’s a historic day,” exclaimed Joe Biden on April 7, following the US Senate confirmed the nomination of its candidate for the highest US court. For the first time, a black woman holds a seat on the Supreme Court. A strong symbol. But will this magistrate with a brilliant career change the votes?
As the Supreme Court prepares to put an end to a constitutional right that was difficult to obtain half a century ago, by returning to the States alone the prerogative to legislate on the right to abortion, the question arises with acuteness. The result of an imbalance in the balance of power within the country’s highest court, which has six conservative judges – including three appointed by Donald Trump during his term – once morest only three progressives, including Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson. Portrait of an exceptional woman.
• Harvard
Born on September 14, 1970 in Washington, Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson spent her childhood in Miami, Florida. Raised by teacher parents, she follows a faultless school career. In 1992, she obtained a license at Harvard and continued her studies at the faculty of law of the prestigious American university, where Barack and Michelle Obama passed before her. She has two daughters.
• Africanity
Descendants of slaves, his parents have always claimed their African identity. They insisted on giving him a first name of Nigerian origin, even though they were aware that having an African-sounding name might be a handicap in the United States, especially in the professional sphere.
• Diversity
The confirmation of her appointment to the Supreme Court, by 53 votes once morest 47 in the Senate, is a first for a black judge. If it symbolizes diversity, this choice will not however change the ideological orientation of the jurisdiction. It remains conservative, because the Republicans have six judges there, once morest only three for the Democrats.
• Promise
His appointment corresponds to a campaign promise. In 2020, to attract the votes of the African-American electorate, Biden announced that he would appoint a black woman to the Supreme Court, which would be a first. The President seized the opportunity of the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer to keep your word.
• political maneuver
The appointment of Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson is a strategic “coup”. To hope to win the mid-term elections next November, President Biden must improve his popularity rating with the African-American electorate, traditionally won over to the Democrats.
Three “moderate” Republicans, including Mitt Romney, distinguished themselves by voting in favor of his nomination
• Attacks
During her hearings before the Senate, the magistrate was the subject virulent attacks from elected Republicans. The very conservative Ted Cruz, senator from Texas, accused her of having “advocated for sexual predators” and of having retained “sentences lower than the requisitions in 100% of the files of child pornography” which had been submitted to him. Three “moderate” Republicans, including former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, nevertheless distinguished themselves by voting in favor of his nomination.
• Impeccable
His journey went smoothly. In 2003, she joined the United States bipartisan commission, where she worked on “sentencing”. As of 2005, she is the Assistant Federal Public Defender, Washington DC. Her career really took off in 2012, when Obama, then president, appointed her a federal judge in the capital.
• Guantanamo
As assistant to the federal public defender, she had to plead for certain Guantánamo detainees, shortly following the attacks of September 11, 2001. This past earned her severe criticism from Republican senators. During the hearings prior to the confirmation of his appointment to the Supreme Court, his detractors accused him of having defended “enemy combatants”. She told them that everyone had the right to the best defense possible.
• Anti-Trump
A judge in the federal court in Washington, she has been called upon several times to rule once morest the Trump administration. In 2019, when the president, threatened with impeachment, challenged the appearance of one of his relatives before Congress, Ketanji rejected the request and reminded the Trump camp that “it is clear[ait] of American history that the presidents [n’étaient] not kings.
• Family
She is related by marriage to Republican Paul Ryan, former Speaker of the House of Representatives. Despite their political differences, he welcomed his election: “Our political ideas may differ but, for me, Ketanji’s intelligence, character and integrity are beyond doubt”, he wrote on Twitter .
