Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley raised concern Wednesday about Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s previous rulings on child pornography cases.
Hawley alleged Jackson has questioned requiring convicts to register as sex offenders, saying public policy is a led by a “climate of fear, hatred and revenge” via Twitter Wednesday. The senator, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, vowed to reporters Thursday that he intends to press Jackson on her record.
“I’ve been researching the record of Ketanjii Brown Jackson, reading her opinions, articles, interviews & speeches,” Hawley said. “I’ve noticed an alarming pattern when it comes to Judge Jackson’s treatment of sex offenders, especially those praying on children. Judge Jackson has a pattern of letting child porn offenders off the hook for their appalling crimes, both as a judge and a policymaker.”
“She’s been advocating for it since law school,” he continued. “This goes beyond ‘soft on crime.’ I’m concerned that this is a record that endangers our children.”
Judge Jackson has a pattern of letting child porn offenders off the hook for their appalling crimes, both as a judge and as a policymaker. She’s been advocating for it since law school. This goes beyond “soft on crime.” I’m concerned that this a record that endangers our children
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 16, 2022
Hawley cited ten cases involving child pornography brought before Jackson, claiming none had been sentenced with the mandatory minimum guidelines, the Hill reported. The guide made available by the Department of Justice says a first time offender faces a statutory minimum of 15-30 years in prison. (RELATED: ‘It’s Another Left-Wing Pick’: Rep. Jim Jordan Reacts To Biden’s SCOTUS Nominee)
The senator alleged that Jackson has “questioned” sending sex offenders to civil commitment, a post-sentence institutionalization of a convicted individual viewed to be an endangerment. He also said the nominee attempted to remove mandatory minimum sentencing for child porn while serving on the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
In the case United States v. Hawkins, Jackson sentenced a convicted adult possessing child porn to 3 months in prison, though the Sentencing Guidelines recommend for up to 10 years imprisonment, the senator said. He also alleged that Jackson sentenced a felon possessing thousands of child pornography photos up to 57 months in jail in the case United States v. Stewart, despite the guidelines calling for 97-121 months.
In United States v. Stewart, the criminal possessed thousands of images of child porn and also hoped to travel across state lines to abuse a 9-year-old girl. The Guidelines called for a sentence of 97-121 months. Judge Jackson sentenced the criminal to just 57 months.
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 16, 2022
The White House press secretary Jen Psaki pushed back against these claims, saying Jackson’s sentencing of sex crimes were “consistent” with recommendations at a Thursday press briefing. She claimed Hawley “took a snippet of a transcript out of context” when Jackson was repeating a witness’ remarks in order to ask a question about their testimony.
White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates called the accusations “toxic and weakly-presented misinformation,” according to the Hill.
“This is toxic and weakly-presented misinformation that relies on taking cherry-picked elements of her record out of context — and it buckles under the lightest scrutiny,” he said.
Other Republican senators on the committee, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, vowed to raise these concerns at the Senate Judiciary confirmation hearing next week, the Hill reported.
