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Highlights from Senate vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson

PHOTO: President Joe Biden embraces Ketanji Brown Jackson moments after the U.S. Senate confirmed her to be the first Black woman to be a justice on the Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on April 07, 2022 in Washington.
1:24
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed to Supreme Court in historic vote
By Libby Cathey
Last Updated: April 7, 2022, 6:58 PM

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court in its 233-year history, was confirmed by the Senate in a 53-47 vote Thursday.

She got three Republican votes, marking a bipartisan victory for President Joe Biden and his high court nominee.

MORE: Senate poised to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court in historic vote

Here is how the day developed:

  • Harris says Jackson's confirmation sends message of 'who we are as a nation'
  • Biden to hold White House event Friday celebrating Jackson's confirmation
  • Jackson’s confirmation marks slew of firsts
  • Senate confirms Jackson to Supreme Court
  • Jackson watches vote with Biden at White House
Here's how the news is developing.

Apr 07, 2022 6:58 PM

Harris says Jackson's confirmation sends message of 'who we are as a nation'

After presiding over the Senate chamber the historic vote, Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters she is "overjoyed and deeply moved" at Judge Jackson's successful confirmation to the Supreme Court.

"There’s so much about what’s happening in the world now that is presenting some of the worst of this moment and human behaviors -- and then we have a moment like this that, I think, reminds us that there is still so much yet to accomplish and that we can accomplish," she said.

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to read the final vote count of 53-47 as the U.S. Senate votes to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court at the U.S. Capitol, April 7, 2022, in Washington.
Senate Television via AP
Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to read the final vote count of 53-47 as the U.S. Senate votes to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court at the U.S. Capitol, April 7, 2022, in Washington.
Senate Television via AP

Harris said Jackson's ascension sends an "important statement about who we are as a nation -- that we have just made a decision to put this extraordinary jurist on the highest court of our land."

"So let us all I think -- with rejoice -- in who we are as a nation that we achieved -- long overdue -- but we achieved this important milestone," she said. "It makes a very important statement about who we aspire to be, who we are, who we believe ourselves to be."

PHOTO: The final vote count of 53-47 is displayed after the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court at the U.S. Capitol, April 7, 2022, in Washington.
Senate TV via AP
The final vote count of 53-47 is displayed after the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court at the U.S. Capitol, April 7, 2022, in Washington.
Senate TV via AP

Harris said is a statement that says "we want to make sure there is going to be full representation -- and the finest and brightest and the best -- and that’s what happened today," she said. "I’m very proud. Very proud."


Apr 07, 2022 6:48 PM

Biden to hold White House event Friday celebrating Jackson's confirmation

With Judge Jackson now Senate-confirmed to the Supreme Court, the White House has announced it will hold an event on the South Lawn on Friday afternoon to celebrate her confirmation.

President Joe Biden, Vice President Harris and Judge Jackson will speak, according to the White House.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson watch the Senate vote on her nomination to associate justice on the US Supreme Court, from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, on April 7, 2022.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
President Joe Biden and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson watch the Senate vote on her nomination to associate justice on the US Supreme Court, from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, on April 7, 2022.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The White House has framed Jackson's confirmation as a fulfillment of two big Biden promises -- one from the campaign trail, that he'd nominate the first Black woman, and the other as president, that he'd nominate someone in the mold of retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

Jackson joined Biden in the Roosevelt Room on Thursday afternoon to watch the results of the Senate roll call vote -- ending with bipartisan confirmation to sit on the high bench.


Apr 07, 2022 6:50 PM

Jackson’s confirmation marks slew of firsts

With Judge Jackson set to become Justice Jackson when Justice Stephen Breyer retires at the end of this term, the Supreme Court will have its first Black woman justice -- and Jackson will serve on the first-ever high court where white men constitute a minority of the membership.

Jackson is also the first former public defender and first Florida-raised judge to sit on the Supreme Court.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden congratulates Ketanji Brown Jackson moments after the U.S. Senate confirmed her to be the first Black woman to be a justice on the Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on April 07, 2022 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Joe Biden congratulates Ketanji Brown Jackson moments after the U.S. Senate confirmed her to be the first Black woman to be a justice on the Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on April 07, 2022 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In addition to being the first time four women justices serve on the bench, it’s also the first time three justices of color will serve together.

Biden ran for president on the pledge to nominate a Black woman and to help make the courts “look more like America.”

-ABC News' Devin Dwyer



Apr 07, 2022 6:21 PM

Senate confirms Jackson to Supreme Court

The Senate has confirmed Judge Jackson by a 53-47 vote, paving the way for Jackson to become the first Black woman in history to sit on the nation's highest court.

"This nomination is confirmed," said Vice President Kamala Harris as the chamber erupted in applause.

Jackson secured the support of all Democrats plus three Republicans: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. All three of these senators previously stated their intention to support Jackon's final confirmation.

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris presides over the confirmation vote in the Senate, for Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, April 7, 2022.
Pool via Senate TV
Vice President Kamala Harris presides over the confirmation vote in the Senate, for Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, April 7, 2022.
Pool via Senate TV

Inside the chamber, crowds of staffers flocked to the gallery to catch a glimpse of the history-making moment.

Harris, the nation's first Black and first female vice president, announced the final tally for Jackson -- now the first Black woman to be confirmed to the Supreme Court in its 233-year history.

-ABC News' Trish Turner and Allison Pecorin


Mar 23, 2022 3:43 PM

Senators debate whether Jackson called Bush, Rumsfeld 'war criminals'

Beginning the second and final round of questioning, Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., did not use all of his allotted 20-minutes as Democrats, pleased with Judge Jackson’s performance this week, appear on track to confirm Biden’s first Supreme Court nominee.

Durbin responded to the accusation -- made by Sen. John Cornyn of Texas -- that Jackson had called former President George W. Bush and former Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld "war criminals" in a legal filing when, as a federal public defender, she represented Guantanamo Bay detainees. Cornyn complained that Durbin on Tuesday had "editorialized" about the filing in her favor after he left the room following his exchange with Jackson.

"Now I don't understand the difference between calling someone a war criminal and accusing them of war crimes," Cornyn said at the start of Wednesday's session.

Later Wednesday, during his turn, Durbin noted Bush and Rumsfeld were named in the lawsuit for alleged torture crimes in their official capacity, said they were never specifically called "war criminals," and asked Jackson if she'd like to respond.

PHOTO: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Durbin holds a copy of the U.S. Constitution as he questions Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson during her confirmation hearing, March 23, 2022 in Washington, D.C.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Durbin holds a copy of the U.S. Constitution as he questions Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, March 23, 2022 in Washington, D.C.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Without directly addressing the exact language used in the filing and its implications, she reminded the committee that public defenders can't choose their clients, "yet they have to provide vigorous advocacy. That's the duty of a lawyer," she said. "And as a judge now, I see the importance of having lawyers who make arguments, who make allegations."

"In the context of a habeas petition, especially early in the process of the response to the horrible attacks of 9/11, lawyers were helping the courts to assess the permissible extent of executive authority by making arguments, and we were assigned as public defenders," she added. "We had very little information because of the confidentiality, or the classified nature of a lot of the record, and as an appellate lawyer, it was my obligation to file habeas petitions on behalf of my clients."


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