‘I’m part of the problem,’ Sen. Chris Coons says of polarization of judicial confirmations

As the Senate votes to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, Judiciary Committee member Sen. Chris Coons, D-DE, joins Margaret Hoover in Washington to discuss the increasingly politicized confirmation process, the outside groups pressuring lawmakers to oppose qualified nominees, and the decline of public trust in the nation’s highest court.

Coons acknowledges his own votes against former President Trump’s Supreme Court nominees have been “part of the problem,” but he defends his opposition, citing their judicial philosophies. He also says he “may” join fellow Democrats in calling for Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from cases related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot over his wife’s communications with the Trump White House.

The close Biden ally offers insight into the administration’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as the challenges of maintaining unified Western resolve amid rising energy prices. He underscores the significance of the conflict in the broader context of a 21st century struggle between democracy and autocracy.

Coons also addresses his efforts to secure more funding for global COVID-19 relief, the threat of a potential food scarcity crisis, and the mounting political obstacles facing Democrats as they race to advance President Biden’s agenda and prevent a midterm disaster.

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