Gov. Whitmer, Lt. Gov. Gilchrist Statements on Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

Press Release

Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II issued the following statements after President Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court. If confirmed, Judge Jackson would be the first Black woman, sixth woman, and one of a few justices in American history with criminal defense experience.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer

"Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is an exceptionally qualified candidate for the Supreme Court. Her experience as a public defender and judge at multiple levels demonstrate not only her dedication to the rule of law, but her understanding of the way the law is applied to everyday people - a critical qualification that will serve Michiganders well. She will bring decades of experience, impeccable credentials, and a firm commitment to the Constitution and rule of law to our highest court. One of America's brightest legal minds, Judge Jackson will make history as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, where she will rule on the issues that matter most to Michiganders from workers' rights, voting rights, reproductive rights, and many more. Judge Jackson has already been confirmed by the Senate with a bipartisan vote three times, and I look forward to her swift confirmation."

Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II

"Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be a pathbreaking justice. Her background is not only impressive, it is unprecedented. Judge Jackson would be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court and one of a few justices in American history with experience as a public defender. She would bring this long overdue lived experience to the court, where she will rule on countless essential issues in the decades to come from civil rights to equal protection under the law. As a father and an advocate for making sure our criminal justice system positions people and communities for success, I am excited to see a justice with criminal defense experience who looks like my daughters to be nominated to the Supreme Court."

Judge Jackson Background

Ketanji Brown Jackson currently serves on the United States Court of Appeals.

Formerly a clerk for retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, whom she is now nominated to replace, Judge Jackson is an esteemed jurist with strong experience on the federal bench. She also brings experience from across the legal profession as a federal district court judge, a member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, an attorney in private practice, and as a federal public defender.

Judge Jackson has been confirmed with bipartisan votes in the U.S. Senate three times, most recently last year for her current seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals. She was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Miami, Florida. She is a graduate of Harvard Law.

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