Sen. Marsha Blackburn was accused of racism after she launched a fierce assault on Ketanji Brown Jackson throughout her Supreme Courtroom affirmation listening to on Monday.

In her opening assertion, the Tennessee Republican linked Jackson, the primary Black lady nominated to the nation's highest court docket, to quite a few tradition battle points which have aggrieved conservatives.

Blackburn accused Jackson of supporting the "progressive indoctrination of our kids," wanting to place "hardened criminals" on the streets and being lenient with youngster porn offenders, repeating allegations levied by Sen. Josh Hawley that fact-checkers have deemed deceptive.

She went on to say that Jackson had as soon as written that each choose harbors a private, hidden agenda. "I can solely marvel: what's your hidden agenda?" Blackburn requested Jackson, who was not permitted to reply.

"Is it to let violent criminals, cop killers and youngster predators again to the streets? Is it to limit parental rights and increase authorities's attain into our colleges and our personal household selections? Is it to help the unconventional left's try and pack the Supreme Courtroom?"

Blackburn then mentioned that Jackson had praised The 1619 Challenge, which started as a set of essays re-examining the legacy of slavery within the U.S. and is now a bestselling e-book.

"You've got made clear that you just imagine judges should contemplate important race concept when deciding sentence legal defendants," Blackburn mentioned. "Is it your private hidden agenda to include important race concept into our authorized system?"

Sen. Marsha Blackburn speaks
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., speaks throughout a affirmation listening to for Supreme Courtroom nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee, March 21, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.J. Scott Applewhite/Pool/AFP through Getty Pictures

Blackburn's remarks prompted an outcry on social media, with some suggesting her remarks had been designed to pander to "a racist base."

"My takeaway from Day 1 affirmation hearings for Choose Ketanji Brown Jackson is GOP senators like Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley making it apparent they're search to play to a racist base," Shanlon Wu, a former federal prosecutor, tweeted.

Tennessee state Rep. Gloria Johnson wrote that Blackburn "is not making an attempt to cover her agenda, she places her ignorance and racism proper up entrance."

"Final 12 months @MarshaBlackburn and her GOP friends had been absurdly claiming that CRT was taught in grades Okay-12. This 12 months it is one thing a Supreme Courtroom nominee is making an attempt to include into the federal authorized system. I'm wondering the place the large unhealthy CRT monster will pop up subsequent 12 months," Tennessee state Rep. John Ray Clemmons wrote.

Singer Stella Parton tweeted: "Discuss racists, all Marsha Blackburn might concentrate on was Choose Brown Jackson's race. By no means as soon as realizing as she was studying her fastidiously ready notes written by a employees member that the choose was smarter than her in first grade."

Author Jay Arnold tweeted: "Marsha Blackburn cosplaying Phyllis Diller accusing Ketanji Brown Jackson of getting a 'private hidden agenda' on important race concept whereas actually demonstrating race-based discrimination was essentially the most racist Republican second of the 12 months."

Patrick McGinnis, an creator and enterprise capitalist, wrote that Blackburn had used "poorly constructed misrepresentations" of previous interviews and writings to assault Jackson. "This type of political malpractice would not serve the American individuals. Discover one thing actual to [question] or settle for that the particular person is certified," he mentioned.

Blackburn hit again at criticism of her remarks in a tweet on Monday evening.

"I am not afraid to ask robust inquiries to a nominee for the best court docket in our nation," she wrote. "American households' lifestyle is dependent upon having a constitutionalist court docket, however the media and the left will assault anybody who dares to ask vital questions."

Forward of Monday's listening to, New York College regulation professor Melissa Murray advised Newsweek that Republicans would use the hearings to create "sturdy" sound bites that may be deployed for political functions in an election 12 months.

"It is actually about having a sturdy sound chew that may be then deployed later for political functions in opposition to your entire Democratic Get together," she mentioned.

Blackburn's workplace has been contacted for extra remark.