Nearly every question asked by a Republican of Supreme Court nominee Kentanji Brown Jackson has been beneath the dignity of the Court, Jackson and Congress.
But perhaps no Republicans' questioning has left such a foul taste in people's mouths as Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton's and Texas Senator Ted Cruz's.
Count actor Ron Perlman among those revolted by the GOP Senators' behavior.
In a profanity laced takedown, Perlman railed against Cotton's thinly veiled racism as he peppered Jackson with attempted gotcha-style questions.
See his message to the Arkansas Republican below.
Dear \u2066@TomCottonAR\u2069pic.twitter.com/OG5qsxE8cO— Ron Perlman (@Ron Perlman) 1648055543
Perlman called Cotton a "White slaver" and a "piece of sh*t" while excoriating him for the narrative he attempted to spin about Jackson.
"Tom Cotton... You piece of sh*t... Play back your line of questioning and tell me that wasn't the most racist thing I've seen since Jefferson fu*king Davis."
Perlman concluded his takedown with two simple words:
"Fu*k you."
Perlman also had a message for frequent Twitter sparring partner Ted Cruz.
Dear \u2066@tedcruz\u2069pic.twitter.com/OxGEk4hlMn— Ron Perlman (@Ron Perlman) 1648053471
Perlman is certainly not alone in his disgust.
Republicans' abrasive, condescending questioning seemed deliberately geared toward humiliating Judge Jackson.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to @SenTomCotton: "It's not that they're difficult questions, it's that they're not questions for me. I am not the Congress. I am not making policy around sentencing."pic.twitter.com/7R1fDrxp8C— CSPAN (@CSPAN) 1647991882
In the case of Cotton's criticism, Judge Jackson reduced the sentence because of new legislation ratified by the majority Republican Congress of 2018 and signed into law by former President Trump—The First Step Act.
The act stipulated drug sentences would only face a mandatory increase if the offender was previously convicted of a felony.
As Judge Jackson calmly explained:
“Congress changed the law, Congress decided the old penalty, the old crime was no longer eligible for the increased sentence."
"So what I determined under those circumstances was that I would re-sentence Mr. Young to the penalty that Congress had decided was appropriate.”
But Cotton was not satisfied with her response and accused her of reducing the offender's sentence because she was on his side.
“You chose to rewrite the law because you were sympathetic to a drug fentanyl kingpin.”
Cotton also attempted to smear Judge Jackson as being blasé about rape case sentencing, a crime that has no federal jurisdiction and hence never appeared before Jackson during her years as a federal judge.
Cotton's smear attempt built off of Republican Senator Josh Hawley's attempt to cast Jackson as light on child pornographers, pandering to followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory who believe Democrats are lead by a baby eating cabal of pedophiles.
On Twitter, people applauded Perlman for saying to Cotton and Cruz what so many were thinking.
thank you Mr Perlman for saying what decent humans felt.— Saturninebear \u30b5\u30bf\u30fc\u30ca\u30a4\u30f3\u30d9\u30a2\u30fc (@Saturninebear \u30b5\u30bf\u30fc\u30ca\u30a4\u30f3\u30d9\u30a2\u30fc) 1648055746
I do my part every time he's up for re-election and vote against him and will continue to do so.— A Boy Named Sue (@A Boy Named Sue) 1648066286
As an Arkansan I\u2019m glad that most of America feels the same as I do. Thanks Ron for stepping up and telling him the truth.— ArmChairAntifia (@ArmChairAntifia) 1648078470
If I had to smell like cat piss everyday just to never see or hear Ted Cruz again id be a lucky man— Frank Basedman (@Frank Basedman) 1648071439
.@perlmutations you\u2019re spot on my brother!!! Thank you for speaking out on your platform & keep #MovingHumanityForwardhttps://twitter.com/perlmutations/status/1506680267951394822\u00a0\u2026— Official Account of (Activist) "Bad" Brad Berkwitt (@Official Account of (Activist) "Bad" Brad Berkwitt) 1648072259
#TedCruzPhuckYou pic.twitter.com/JkLG767T1c— QuePasa (@QuePasa) 1648054126
I second that emotion.https://twitter.com/perlmutations/status/1506680267951394822\u00a0\u2026— Clem Fandango \ud83d\udd29 (@Clem Fandango \ud83d\udd29) 1648069158
that photo was as true in 2016 as it is now, more like asshole of the decade\u2026— hotel diablo (@hotel diablo) 1648082390
Keep going, Ron. These despicable racist men are a disgrace and need to be told how repugnant their actions are.— Laurie Holden (@Laurie Holden) 1648081863
And he certainly was not alone in his opinion of GOP Senators Cotton and Cruz.
I can't get over the fact that Ted Cruz yelled at Montana airport employees "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" and they had to call the cops on him because he was so pissed that he was missing his flight back to DC to ask Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson if babies are racist— Laura Bassett (@Laura Bassett) 1647985002
Every time Tom Cotton says, "it's a very simple question" to #KBJ, I just wanna slap the taste out of his self-righteous, racist, sexist mouth. What a bastard.— Kurt Bardella (@Kurt Bardella) 1647989920
Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, and Lindsey Graham are all poor excuses for U.S. Senators. They are grandstanding punks, nothing more trying to tear down and eminently qualified candidate. Ketanji Brown Jackson has more character in her pinky finger than all of them combined.— Chris Rilling\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0d (@Chris Rilling\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0d) 1648072446
Tom Cotton questioning of Ketanji Brown Jackson is painful. This is an exercise of intellectually inferior man condescending to massively intellectually superior woman.— HawaiiDelilah\u2122 stands with Ukraine (@HawaiiDelilah\u2122 stands with Ukraine) 1647991997
Tom Cotton, who is friends with convicted child predator Josh Duggar, is unbelievably disrespectful to The Honorable Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.— Pro-Choice Adoptee with a WHITEBOARD \ud83e\udd82\ud83d\udda4\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Pro-Choice Adoptee with a WHITEBOARD \ud83e\udd82\ud83d\udda4\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1647990901
When you\u2019re showing off the next book you want banned with the perfect edges and everything to underscore to everyone you haven\u2019t actually read itpic.twitter.com/XNBqBOlxsC— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1647990849
Ketanji Brown Jackson is way too damn smart to be talking to a moron like Tom Cotton. How are you a senator and not know the law? She explained it FULLY and he still confused! #SupremeCourtpic.twitter.com/T5roDTpmCz— Rachelle Leconte (@Rachelle Leconte) 1647991787
Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley need to smile more. And they\u2019re so emotional! And their voices sound shrill, they seem hysterical. It must be that time of the month.— Amy Siskind \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Amy Siskind \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1647989991
Ben Sasse moments after Ted Cruz throws a performative tantrum that was tailormade for Hannity: "I think we should recognize that the jackassery we often see around here is partly because of people mugging for short-term camera opportunities."pic.twitter.com/3YqBgrrXNR— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1648065477
Judge Jackson's confirmation hearings were concluded on Wednesday.
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