This is not okay.
On Monday night, three Republican Senators joined their Democratic counterparts to break a deadlock on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination, a move that brings her one step closer to being confirmed by the end of the week.
The 53 -47 vote to discharge Jackson’s nomination to the full Senate is the first time the Senate has taken the procedural step since 1853.
The Democratic caucus was joined by Republican Senators Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Following the procedural vote, Romney and Murkowski, who were potential swing votes for Jackson’s nomination, announced they would be supporting Judge Jackson’s nomination in separate statements.
The pair join fellow Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who had already announced her support of Jackson last week.
In her statement, Murkowski said she “will support the motion to discharge Judge Jackson’s nomination later tonight, and her confirmation later this week.”
In his statement, Romney noted that he had “concluded that she is a well-qualified jurist and a person of honor.” He added that although he does not “expect to agree with every decision she may make on the Court, I believe that she more than meets the standard of excellence and integrity.”
The vote to dislodge Judge Jackson from the Judiciary Committee puts her on track to be confirmed as the first Black female Supreme Court justice by the end of the week.
