Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson is not answering the questions during her confirmation hearings that must be addressed so that lawmakers will know what they need to know about how she'll serve if she's confirmed, Rep. Byron Donalds said Thursday on Newsmax.
"We know what her acumen is," the Florida Republican said on Newsmax's "John Bachman Now." "We know what her school credentials are. We know about her time on the court. But what we are not getting is her judicial philosophy, which is frankly, the number one thing that matters for a Supreme Court justice."
Further lawmakers are not getting her views on the criminal justice system, "or even the basic thing that Sen. [Marsha] Blackburn asked, 'what constitutes how you define a woman,' " said Donalds, and these are the cultural issues that are moving through the Supreme Court.
"These are serious questions," he said. "I understand the frustrations from the Republicans."
Democrats, during the confirmation hearings for Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, questioned them "relentlessly" and had no problem attacking Republican nominees, said Donalds, but now they want to play with "kid gloves" for Jackson.
"They're disingenuous to me," said Donalds. "I don't care what their opinions are. We need to get to the bottom. Get to the truth on Judge Jackson's judicial philosophy. It matters for the future of America."
Donalds said that rather than answering the senators' questions on gender, Jackson is looking forward to being seated on the Supreme Court so she can answer those questions there.
"The truth of the matter is that she does not want to answer because if she answers with the truth…people supporting her nomination will begin to disavow her nomination," he said. "That's why she won't answer."
Donalds also commented on a recent poll showing President Joe Biden's approval number at 43% overall and even lower on specific issues, including Ukraine.
"The problem is the American people know that Joe Biden's policies have been wrong," he said. "His leadership has been faulty. And so even though we want to be united behind Ukraine a lot of Americans are very concerned and rightfully so.
"They do not believe that Joe Biden has the ability to lead America and also lead the world."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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