Andrew Chung and Lawrence Hurley

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Democratic Chairman decried Republican attacks against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Jackson. Experts from the nation’s top lawyers group rejected Republican claims she was soft on crime including child pornography.

Jackson was confirmed by the committee on its fourth day. President Joe Biden nominated Jackson to be the country’s first Black woman judge. On April 4, the panel will vote whether or not to forward Jackson’s nomination to full Senate to receive a final confirmation vote.

Jackson ended two days of marathon testimony last Wednesday. While facing multiple attacks from Republicans, Jackson was accused of being inflexible in her role as federal trial judge for sentencing child pornography criminals.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Dick Durbin said that some of the criticisms of this judge were unjust, relentless, and below the dignity of America’s Senate. It is possible to disagree with a senator’s votes, or with a judge’s decisions, but drawing conclusions about a person and their values, and taking it to the extreme, is wrong, no matter if they are a Democrat, Republican, or vice versa. It happened repeatedly and I was devastated.”

Durbin stated that “my lasting impression” is of Durbin, a judge who “sat there through all this, head held high with dignity, determination and strength. She could have told her family that she was leaving. She didn’t. This says a lot about her character. It also demonstrates why President Obama chose her as the next Supreme Court Justice.

Republican senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley were subject to the most hostile questions.

On Thursday, the committee heard outside witnesses give their opinions on Jackson’s qualifications and record. This included members of American Bar Association who have deemed Jackson “well qualified” to fill the position. Jackson wasn’t there.

Durbin asked Ann Williams (one of the witnesses from the bar association) if there was any evidence that Jackson had been “soft on crime” during the group’s inspection of Jackson’s records.

Williams declared, “None whatsoever.”

Williams stated that she spoke with 250 judges and lawyers who were familiar with Jackson’s life, but none raised concerns about Jackson’s sentencing.

Joseph Drayton (another witness from the bar association) said that he has spoken to defense attorneys and prosecutors specifically about the matter.

Drayton claimed that none of the respondents felt Drayton was biased in any way.

Members of the Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary were the witnesses from the bar association.

Although her confirmation will not alter the court’s ideology balance (it has a conservative majority of 6-3), it would allow Biden to refresh its liberal bloc by adding a 51 year-old jurist who is young enough for long-term service. Jackson was nominated by the Democratic president to fill the permanent post of Justice Stephen Breyer, a retiring liberal justice.

Jackson’s confirmation has been stalled so far by Republican attacks. The Senate is still controlled narrowly by Democrats. She would be confirmed with a simple majority and the Senate split 50-50 between both parties. Democrats must remain united, regardless of the Republican vote.

Jackson, the sixth Black female justice and sixth Black justice, will serve as the 116th judge on the supreme court if he is confirmed. Jackson would be the fourth woman and the second Black justice to sit on the high court’s bench for the first-ever time.