FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2022
Contact:
Kenny Palmer | Indivisible | press@indivisible.org
Alexa Barrett | Take Back the Court Action Fund | alexa@takebackthecourt.today
M Haigh | Press@populardemocracy.org | Center for Popular Democracy Action
Tristin Brown | People’s Parity Project | press@peoplesparity.org
Colleen Roache | Demos Action | croache@demosaction.org |
Just Democracy | press@justdemocracy.us
Craig Holman, Public Citizen | cholman@citizen.org
Anushka Sarkar | Stand Up America | anushka@standupamerica.com
Washington, DC — Today, the Unrig the Courts coalition, a coalition of progressive organizations dedicated to court reform, most importantly the expansion of seats on the Supreme Court, issued the following statement after President Joe Biden announced D.C. Circuit Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the nation’s highest court. When confirmed, Judge Jackson will be the first Black woman in history to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We are ecstatic at the historic nature of this nomination, especially given the disproportionately negative impact that the cases on the Supreme Court’s docket could have on Black women and people of color. The importance of representation at every level of government, especially the Supreme Court, couldn’t be more clear.”
Jackson’s nomination has been the leading choice among progressive advocates since Justice Breyer announced his retirement earlier this month. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Jackson would also make history as the first public defender appointed to the court. While her experience and recent decisions have demonstrated a strong record as a progressive, court advocates also warn that Biden should go further to restore balance to the Supreme Court.
“As excited as we are about Judge Jackson’s nomination, her presence on the bench alone will not reverse the damage the conservative majority has wrought on our country and on the Court as an institution. Judge Jackson’s nomination is an inspiring step forward in ensuring the Supreme Court looks like the country it represents, but she is not a token or a savior. As long as the conservative justices wield their stolen majority, and as long as they choose partisanship over the law, our hard-fought constitutional rights are not safe. We must confirm Judge Jackson, and then we must expand the Court and send her four new colleagues.”
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The Unrig the Courts Coalition is a coalition dedicated to structural court reforms, the most important of which is expanding the Supreme Court.