The Honorable Richard Durbin, Chairman
The Honorable Charles Grassley, Ranking Member
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
Washington D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Durbin and Ranking Member Grassley:
I write on behalf of the AFL-CIO to strongly recommend confirmation of United States District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Her nomination reflects President Biden’s commitment to appoint highly qualified judges who are committed to protecting the rights of people and to expand diversity on the federal bench. Throughout her professional life, most recently as a district court judge in D.C., Judge Jackson has demonstrated a strong commitment to equal justice under the law.
Judge Jackson would bring a wealth of professional experience to this seat. Before her appointment to the district court, she held prestigious judicial clerkships at every level of the federal judiciary. She worked in private practice both in civil and criminal law and served as Vice Chair of the bipartisan U.S. Sentencing Commission to establish more equitable sentencing guidelines. She also spent a number of years as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the District of Columbia.
There is no question that Judge Jackson’s high level of professional accomplishments warrants her elevation to the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Moreover, to date, only eight African-American women have ever served as federal appellate judges, and, if confirmed, Judge Jackson would be only the third African-American woman on the D.C. Circuit.
This extraordinarily well-qualified nominee who would bring long-overdue diversity to the D.C. Circuit deserves a swift confirmation.
Sincerely,
William Samuel
Director, Government Affairs