 |
| Photo Credit: AP. |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses will attend the ceremonial investiture for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the Supreme Court’s newest member and its first Black female justice, a White House official said.
The
appearance of Biden and Harris at the invitation-only ceremony on Friday
underscores the importance of Jackson’s confirmation to the Democratic
president’s legacy. Biden had pledged during his presidential campaign that he
would nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.
Jackson was
confirmed in April on a 53-47 vote in the Senate, with three Republican
senators joining all Democrats to support her.
“It’s a
powerful thing when people can see themselves in others,” Biden said at a South
Lawn celebration shortly after Jackson’s springtime confirmation. “And that’s
one of the reasons I believed so strongly that we needed a court that looks
like America.”
Aside from
Jackson at the Supreme Court, the White House and the Democratic-led Senate
have confirmed dozens of judges at the federal district and appellate levels,
with candidates who have brought more racial and gender diversity to the
courts.
Of the 143
judicial nominations made by Biden, 68% have been women and 66% are people of
color, according to the White House.
Follow the
AP’s coverage of the Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.