News

  Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network’s Vice Chair Jennifer Jones Austin, and Senior Vice President of Policy & Strategic Partnerships Ebonie Riley Release Statement on the Supreme Court Justice Nomination of U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson  

New York, NY (February 25, 2022) – National Action Network applauds the Biden Administration’s Supreme Court Justice Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. After a thorough and rigorous selection process with input from Senators of both parties and legal experts, President Biden has chosen Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. She is exceptionally well qualified and has the experience, character, integrity, and dedication to the Constitution and the rule of law to serve on the nation’s highest Court.

Judge Brown Jackson has deep experience across the justice system, which will make her a well-rounded Justice. She comes from a family of police officers, worked as a public defender, served on the bipartisan U.S. Sentencing Commission, and served as a judge on the District Court and D.C. Circuit Court of Appeal. Throughout her entire career, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has demonstrated a strong commitment to civil and human rights, with a proven fair-minded track record.

“I commend President Biden on the selection of Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee for the Supreme Court, and I congratulate her on this tremendous achievement,” said Jennifer Jones Austin, Vice-Chair, National Action Network. “Not only does Judge Brown Jackson have the legal background that makes her more than qualified to perform the duties of a Supreme Court Justice, but she would bring the Court a distinct and increasingly indispensable perspective on how the laws of this land affect a vital and all too often neglected segment of our population. Not only will she make history as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, but she will also be the first public defender to serve on the Court.”

“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has a proven track record of attracting bipartisan support in the Senate. She’s been confirmed three times on a bipartisan vote – and there’s no reason not to expect the same as she is now considered for the Supreme Court,” said Ebonie Riley, Senior Vice President of Policy & Strategic Partnerships, National Action Network. “Creating that diversity on the Court requires deconstructing many barriers that steer Black women and other underrepresented groups away from that path. It means we will become closer to equality and normalizes having a Black woman appointed to the bench without facing greater scrutiny than their white counterparts, selected based on their experience and accomplishments without gender or racial bias. Our democracy is stronger when the judiciary comprises judges whose backgrounds speak to the full breadth of the American experience.”

We expect the Senate Judiciary Committee to conduct a fair and swift confirmation for this qualified Supreme Court Justice Nominee.

About National Action Network (NAN)

National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality or gender. For more information go to www.nationalactionnetwork.net.