On Monday, Senate hearings for Biden’s Supreme Court nominee, Kentaji Brown Jackson, began, and one Republican senator, Tennessee’s Marsha Blackburn, ripped into Jackson’s past with particular vigor, describing Jackson as promoting restrictions on children and families while allowing criminals to operate freely.

She said that if Jackson had her way, 1500 criminals would have returned to the streets. And she used the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to let a fentanyl dealer, a bank robber addicted to heroin, and a convict who killed a U.S. soldier go free. 

She also stated that Jackson’s efforts to protect prisoners began prior to the outbreak. She remarked that Jackson utilized her time and ability to help terrorists get out of Gitmo and return to the war, rather than serving our country’s veterans or other vulnerable populations.

That was a very aggressive question from an otherwise somewhat subdued and bland GOP Senate, a Senate that doesn’t seem to have the nerve to oppose a radical nominee like Jackson, but it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone who have followed Blackburn’s views on Jackson.

While Blackburn was the most visible candidate at Monday’s hearings, a few other GOP heavyweights may soon join her in criticizing Jackson’s controversial past.

Sen. Hawley’s tone was measured, but he indicated that he planned to pursue questions about sex offender sentencing. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) raised the issue of extreme left-wing prosecutors sponsored by left-wing benefactor George Soros, citing Judge Jackson’s proven historical support for Critical Race Theory and Black Lives Matter.

Presumably Blackburn’s harsh questioning and messaging pushed others to take action, turning a relatively calm hearing into a little of retaliation for Kavanaugh.