Democrats, Republicans share praise, concern during Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation hearing

On the first day of a Senate Judiciary hearing on the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Democrats hailed the historic nature of the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court and praised her record as a federal appellate and district court judge.

"Her nomination, pending a confirmation by the Senate, will bring us one step closer to having a Supreme Court that is more reflective of our nation," said Democratic Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy.

Meanwhile, Republicans raised questions about her judicial record and tried to link her to advocacy groups on the left, while signalling they would try to paint Jackson as "soft on crime."

Republican Missouri Senator Josh Hawley said he has concerns about what he said were "lenient" sentences by Judge Jackson on child pornography cases.

Biden, who has a candidate in 2020 pledged to appoint a Black woman to the court, last month nominated Jackson, 51, for a lifetime job on America's top judicial body to succeed retiring liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, setting up a confirmation battle in the closely divided Senate.

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