CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., had a “positive and productive meeting” with Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on Wednesday as she continues talks with senators regarding her judicial experience.
President Joe Biden named Jackson as his nominee for the Supreme Court late last month. Jackson would replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the bench and be the first Black woman to serve on the high court if the Senate confirms her nomination.
“This afternoon I met with Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to discuss her experience, record and opinions on important issues impacting West Virginians. We had a positive and productive meeting,” Manchin said in a statement.
“I appreciate her willingness to meet with me ahead of her confirmation vote. Just as I have with previous nominees, I will closely follow Judge Jackson’s nomination hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee and will continue to evaluate her qualifications to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States before making a final decision.”
Jackson served as a district judge for the District of Columbia from 2013 and 2021 and joined the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit last June. The Senate confirmed her nomination to the appeals court in a 53-44 vote; Manchin supported the nomination, while Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., voted against confirmation.
Capito has also shared a desire to meet with Jackson to discuss the judge’s judicial experience and prior opinions.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a series of hearings on the nomination beginning March 21. Manchin and Capito do not serve on the committee.