Ketanji Brown Jackson kicked off her second day of Supreme Court nomination hearings today by fielding a line of extremely stupid questioning from none other than Lindsey Graham. The anti-LGBTQ senator grilled the judge about her faith and whether, specifically, she has anything against Catholics.
Related: Two Supreme Court Justices just said they want to overturn marriage equality
It started with Graham asking Jackson, “What faith are you, by the way?” When she responded by saying that she’s a non-denominational protestant, he proceeded to ask whether she could “fairly judge a Catholic.”
“Senator, I have a record of fairly judging everyone,” Jackson replied as Graham tried speaking over her.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“I’m just asking this question because, how important is your faith to you?” Graham said.
To which Jackson, looking perplexed, responded, “As you know, there’s no religious test in the Constitution under Article 6 and it’s very important to set aside one’s personal views about things in the role of a judge.”
Related: WATCH: Mayor Pete destroys Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in one gay swoop
Graham, who was clearly trying to settle old scores with Democrats over their questioning of Amy Coney Barrett in 2020, pressed on by asking Jackson, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how faithful would you say you are?” Then he inquired about how often she goes to church.
The judge responded by saying, “Well, Senator, I am reluctant to talk about my faith in this way just because I want to be mindful of the need for the public to have confidence in my ability to separate out my personal views.”
Watch.
A lot of people have been talking about the exchange on Twitter, but our favorite comment has to be from Mary Trump, who remarked: “I know this is an evergreen tweet but Lindsay Graham can f*ck right off.”
I know this is an evergreen tweet but Lindsay Graham can fuck right off.
— Mary L Trump (@MaryLTrump) March 22, 2022
Here’s how folx responded to Mary’s tweet…
You should get that embroidered on a pillow
— Socially distancing in the USA (@christinayperez) March 22, 2022
Every time I think of @LindseyGrahamSC I just come back to this. pic.twitter.com/vQExXQTLxD
— kevinchesters (@hairychesters) March 22, 2022
“On a scale of 1-10 how faithful are you?” An actual question from a U.S. Senator to a potential SCOTUS. Embarrassing.
— gabyg (@gabyg) March 22, 2022
Revenge questions for perceived slights against Barrett.
— John McClain (@bonafideDiehard) March 22, 2022
She is handling him like a pro.
— Stacey Morrow (@LegalMama22) March 22, 2022
Seems that the Senate hearing for Ketanji Brown Jackson is more of an opportunity to “soap box” than to question her ability. Because she is so qualified what else can they do? 🤷♀️
— DoxieMom (@DebO627) March 22, 2022
Lindsay said he goes to church. She should ask him if he adheres to the teachings.
— jimpittsburgh (@jimpittsburgh3) March 22, 2022
Lindsey Graham doesn’t deserve to have a woman’s first name.
— Andrea Junker (@Strandjunker) March 22, 2022
According to live updates by Katie Rogers at the New York Times, after his time was up, Graham “swivels in his chair, grabs his bottle of Coca-Cola, and storms out of the hearing.”
Jackson currently sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. If confirmed, she will become the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Covid Hermit
A SCOTUS nominee’s religion shouldn’t matter. Be they Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Zoroastrian or whatever. I don’t even care if they worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster! As long as they are capable of treating everyone with EQUAL justice under the law, that’s what counts (and sadly, our courts have a LONG, LONG record of NOT treating everyone as equal).
Jim
Generally I’d agree, but we need ALOT more diversity on the court when it comes to their religious affiliations.
Mr. Stadnick
Miss Lindsay: Have you ever seen a grown man naked?
Miss Lindsay: If a train Leaves Wilton Manors at 12 noon and another train leaves Fire Island at 12 noon how many hunky men will find a dowager senator attractive?
Miss Lindsay: Does this jacket make me look fat?
CKNJ
I think Miss Lindsay has a false sense of entitlement to ask about religious commitment because he has spent so much time on his knees in the past.
CurtisIsTheOne
You WINS “THE INTRANET” today, girlfriend.
barryaksarben
LOL. how true. I love Mary Trump so damned much. And the one about him not deserving a womans first name cracked me up
moretruth
Agnostics are sorely lacking in all public positions.
Nancy Joyzee
Gurl, shut up stick a dick in it.
nokkonwud
…again..
Essie
What does he mean “How faithful are you”? “Faithful” to what. Religion should have no place on the SCOTUS but it does and that’s unfortunate. And then Ms. Lindsey grabs his Coke and walks out. Did he think that made him look “manly” and tough? It didn’t.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Essie
“And then Ms. Lindsey grabs his Coke and walks out.”
Not true. Fake news.
His walking out happened when he was in a confrontation with Dick Durbin about Gitmo.
Earlier this month, Joe Biden released Mohammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani, 46, known as the 20th hijacker of 9/11. (Great move Joe! Thanks!) He will be sent from Guantanamo Bay to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for psychiatric treatment. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) was discussing the release of terror detainees from Guantanamo Bay, when Sen. Graham exclaiming at one point that he wouldn’t care if they died in prison without trial.
Biden and the Democrats want to close Guantanamo. This would entail releasing many terrorists and some would be remanded to another location. A brilliant move Democrats!
Cam
@The Accidental Polemicist
As always, the right wing troll is here to defend hompphobic bigots, even better for it tha they’re attacking a Black woman, and then it tries the tired old GOP tactic of thinking if it prints some arabic sounding name.
Sweetie, your troll game is sad and weak. Time for you to break out your other screenames!
barryaksarben
Closing GITMO for all the idiots does not mean releasing terrorists it means housing them in the US which would save millions upon millions every year. I am sick of the right lying over and over like trump sabotaging Afghanistan by unilaterally declaring he is pulling everyone out then screaming that Biden left. Just grow the f**K up already
Mister P
Not only are there not enough agnostics and atheists in oublic positions but there are far too many Christians in public positions.
Brian
Completely agree
The Accidental Polemicist
Well, Catholic Joe Biden is certainly one. 🙂
RoughRugger
It bears mentioning that Ladybird literally voted to confirm KBJ to her current judicial seat ~a year ago.
Kangol2
She’s gearing up to play Lady Macbeth at the local South Carolina summer stock, so she’s trying to show she can go from zero to 100 in the span of a stage minute.
ShiningSex
Those that oppose her are just racism idiots. She’s more than qualified.
There are two Supreme Court justices that were accused of sexual assault/sexual misconduct and are on there.
The Accidental Polemicist
As a United States Senator, Biden considered an eminently qualified black woman for appointment to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals by President George W. Bush. That was Janice Rogers Brown and then-Senator Biden filibustered her — twice. President Biden should apologize to Judge Janice Rogers Brown before he attempts to play identity politics with this Supreme Court nomination.
Kangol2
And don’t forget, Chief Justice William Rehnquist was known to have harassed Black voters in Arizona when he was a young man, and had an addiction to prescription pain killers for years, while he was on the court. He was the right-wing’s shining light, along with Scalia!
chat fisher
Judge Jackson should ask MS. Lindsey if she is a closeted homosexual.
CurtisIsTheOne
Lindsey Graham Cracker, If you have 0 doubt about the judge being able to adjudicate matters fairly, why don’t you just SHUT YOUR GODDAMN PIEHOLE, Mr. Cracker?
CurtisIsTheOne
Miss Lindsey: Judge, could you fairly judge a cow having oral sex with me if the cow worshiped “The Flying Spaghetti Monster”? Would your answer depend upon how cute the cow was and if he had confessed ALL his sins to The FSM? Would you like to hear me confess to how many altar boys I’ve eaten?
woodroad34
Interesting that f*ckwad should use religion as a platinum rod since most of the SCOTUS is Catholic and most of them filter their judgments through religion, where they should be informed by their beliefs and not controlled by them: Thomas, Alito, Barrett, Kavanaugh. So, her comment about setting aside her religion to be fair and impartial was quite the b*tch-slap to that Axis of religious evil. And bringing up Kavanaugh, I don’t see Ketanji Brown Jackson blubbering, whimpering and crying, like the great Pilsbury Doughboy Kavanaugh did, at how unfair everyone was to him because he’s a rapist.
The Accidental Polemicist
@woodroad34
“So, her comment about setting aside her religion to be fair and impartial was quite the b*tch-slap to that Axis of religious evil.”
Did you not read the article? Thank you for making Senator Graham’s point.
Ste211
That was, literally, the most embarrassing hissy-fit seen in a Senate hearing….well, since his last one.
The Accidental Polemicist
It was as bad as Queerty’s report just yesterday of Ted Cruz throwing a “hissy-fit” at the airport. The screaming, yelling and throwing things is very unprofessional.
Robert Bradley
I would offer that Miss Lindsey’s line of questioning shows the repugs no longer see a separation between church and state. They (repugs) are a disgusting lot. But if the USA can’t get their shit together it’ll be their new democracy,
Caddy4J
What Queerty failed to show was the whole clip in its entirety. He was trying to make a point in his questioning that previous nominees were hounded by Dem. Senators and the media when Barrett was the nominee.His point was these type of questions should not be asked during any confirmation hearing whether the nominee be GOP or DEM. and he was not going to start with her. This is what social networks and newspapers do to get a reactionIon as harsh as you just did. And everyone fell for it. All to make a few measly coins… I suggest you look at the entire exchange and then decide.
Cam
@Caddy4J
LOL!!! I see @SamB, @The Accidental Polemicist, etc… are as always, enraged at the idea of a Black woman getting hired so are bringing out their multiple screenames to lie to defend homophobic bigot, Graham.
By the way, Democrats stayed away from talking about Comey Barret’s cultlike offshoot of her religion and the fact that her branch says women should not have their own opinions, but rather should mirror their husband.
So by all means, post any proof of your statement.
Your troll game is sad and weak.
The Accidental Polemicist
“Separation of church and state”? Based on what?
The U.S. has never had a state religion.
Den
“The U.S. has never had a state religion.”
It does in the minds of a significant percentage of the right wing, as you are very well aware….were you not so effing disingenuous you would not make such foolish statement
The Accidental Polemicist
@Den
Only in a deranged leftist mind is stating a fact a “foolish statement.”
Bonerboy
@The Accidental Polemicist Aren’t you cute.
mailliw110
Is the First Amendment really that hard to understand? I can see history is even harder for you! Ever hear of the Puritan’s? Yeah, the ones we celebrate on Thanksgiving. In case you forgot, Thanksgiving is an American National Holiday!!!
Cam
Translation: The right wing Republican troll account is admitting that it’s goal is to live in a religious theocracy.
Thanks for being so bad at trolling that you exposed this.
Salacious1
Since they are such close friends, how would he judge Trump on that piety scale? Never mind himself. Even Trump would say he is the most faithless finger in the wind piece of s***.
fur_hunter
Miss Lindseybelle is such a F UC KING, A.S.S. KISSING C U NT!!!!
The Accidental Polemicist
My favorite comments were by the “special” Senator Hirono, “They have implied you were solely nominated due to your race…Your nomination is not about filling a quota… It is about time that we have a highly qualified, highly accomplished Black woman serving on the Supreme Court.”
Her statement disproves herself! Sweetheart, you just contradicted yourself. Obviously, it is about quotas and it is about race. Senator Hirono, meet facepalm!
Also, where has she been? This identity politics nomination has been repeatedly promised by Circle Back Psaki and Sleepy Joe. 🙁
Den
“Circle Back Psaki and Sleepy Joe.”
st
It must be physically painful to be the kind of buffoon you are! The palliative care you receive would explain many of your intellectually fuzzy posts.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Den
“The palliative care you receive would explain many of your intellectually fuzzy posts.”
That you feel the need to comment on! What does that say about you? 🙁
Bosch
The troll has thin skin. Colour me surprised.
missvamp
in another article linked here, one of my state senators made an ass of himself by bringing up marriage equality. she shot his dumb, old ass down. what is with these crusty old farts, trying to bring religion into this? it’s beyond stupid & illegal. it has nothing to do with her confirmation. just admit you’re racist & don’t want a black woman on the court. ugh. old white men!!
The Accidental Polemicist
@missvamp
“just admit you’re racist & don’t want a black woman on the court. ugh. old white men!!”
If that is true, then why did Joe Biden and the Democrats twice filibuster to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals Janice Rogers Brown?
By your logic, they must be “racist”! President Biden should apologize to Judge Janice Rogers Brown.
Den
“If that is true, then why did Joe Biden and the Democrats twice filibuster to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals Janice Rogers Brown?”
It is pretty obvious why they did. She is the definition of an activist judge, but from the far right end of the spectrum!
To quote Wikipedia:
Brown advocated for a return to the Lochner era, during which a conservative Supreme Court “routinely struck down labor, health and safety laws in the early 20th century”. In contrast, even famously conservative judge Robert Bork, once President Ronald Reagan’s Supreme Court nominee, called the Lochner era an “‘abomination’ that ‘lives in the law as the symbol, indeed the quintessence of judicial usurpation of power.'”[36]
Additionally she is an advocate for the Federalist Society, a group that stands in fierce opposition to any sort of social progress and considers the wealthy and propertied classes the most worthy recipients of governmental largesse.
And she is in opposition to R0e v Wade as well as against affirmative action or any acknowledgement of systemic racism in American society, and not at all likely to separate her personal beliefs from her judicial duties. Those who opposed her are not racists, but advocates of racial equity.
Doug
I have no idea whatsoever what Graham’s was in that line of questioning other than to give himself the opportunity to talk about his own meaningless views on religion. WTF??
The Accidental Polemicist
Then go back and read the article.
CityguyUSA
“The anti-LGBTQ senator grilled the judge…” is incorrect it should read, The queer anti-LGBTQ senator grilled the judge…
Bosch
Someone here is really upset that we’re defending an intelligent black lady from coded bigotry.
mailliw110
Maybe it’s an “Accident”?
Cam
Few things enrage the right wing troll account more than a Black woman. It has brought more than one screename in here in a panic to attack the idea.
Sweetie, your rage and despair are delicious to see. And, as always, your troll game is sad and weak.
Polaro
Lindsey is embarrassing, not just here, but in general. That isn’t really what this exchange shows me though. The news if how well Ms. Jackson handles herself. She has consistently shown poise, intelligence and thoughtfulness. (If it were up to me only atheists would be on the court, but I am only Queen of the World in my mind.)
To be clear, these republicans are not attacking her for being black (they do love an Uncle Tom), they are attacking her because she isn’t a republican. The fact that she is both black and a woman just adds a certain zeal to their vindictiveness though. They will use any dirty trick they can because that is who they have become. They are looking for the excuses they will use to justify the no vote they will make for any candidate nominated by Biden – regardless of her ability. It is a poorly orchestrated farce.
President Biden, whom I still strongly support, made a mistake in saying he would nominate a black woman. He should have said he would nominate the best judge in the land, and then nominated a black woman. I blame the woke underlings in his ear. (Republicans stuck with Trump to get the conservative supreme court justices. Democrats have already turned on Biden and Harris. SMH.)
My conclusion, based on her skill in handling senate trolls, is Ms. Jackson sure looks like the best judge in the land. I do hope she gets the votes needed. And I sure hope democrats get their heads out of their butts and focus.
The Accidental Polemicist
It’s rather ironic that the first black woman nominee to the Supreme Court “can’t” define the word woman.
The Accidental Polemicist
@Polaro
“The fact that she is both black and a woman just adds a certain zeal to their vindictiveness though. They will use any dirty trick they can because that is who they have become.”
If that is true, then why did Joe Biden and the Democrats twice filibuster the black Republican nominee to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, Janice Rogers Brown?
Polaro
Grasping at straws.
Janice Rogers Brown – no idea who she is, but if democrats opposed her, it certainly wasn’t because she was a woman or black. Do you think before typing?
I did not bother to look up whatever it is you claim about Ms. Jackson defining the word woman. Don’t really have to though. We are in flux over gender issues as a society today, regardless of which side you may be on. In law, the word woman or man could mean different things when taken into context. For example, for years we used the word man in laws where it was clear the word should have been person. We now have trans people, and like it or not, they exist. How we integrate trans people into social structures that did not envision them is a real legal issue. While I do not, for example, believe a trans woman to be a woman in all instances, I do believe they deserves respect and acceptance regardless. I know what you wanted her to say. Now, do you know why she probably didn’t say it?
HenryCameron
What’s worse is that she said that she can’t define what a woman is because she is not a biologist. As we all know, biology has nothing to do with being a woman. To say otherwise is transphobic and should disqualify her.
johncp56
you want to see the meaning of southern C!@#$%^&T!!! look at that Lindsay little missy bitch shameless GOP
johncp56
Miss Lindsey is a scummy little C!@#$%^&*(T!!!!!! and don’t start us on Mitch!!!! !@#$%^&*&^%$#@#$%^&*&^%$#