Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) says he will oppose one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees after she repeatedly refused to answer his question.
Kennedy repeatedly asked law professor Anne Traum, a nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, if she believes criminal acts should be forgiven “in the name of social justice” during a confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
“I recognize that all issues of crime and all responses to crime are fundamentally policy issues. So those are important issues. They’re important for our community and our nation. But I leave those policy issues to policymakers. If confirmed as a judge, I would not be a policymaker,” Traum responded at first.
However, Kennedy asked again, “Do you think that criminal misbehavior, an illegal act, should be forgiven in the name of social justice?”
“I do believe that all criminal policy is fundamentally a policy issue,” Traum said.
The Louisiana senator asked the question a third time, to which Traum said, “That is not a view that I have taken in my work.”
“So that’s no?” Kennedy interrupted to ask, “Is your answer no?”
Traum began by reiterating her answer, but Kennedy interjected again to ask, “Do you believe that an illegal act should be forgiven in the name of social justice?”
He added, “It’s pretty simple.”
“So, senator, I believe that we have criminal laws. Criminal laws that are created by policymaking bodies like this one,” Traum began.
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Kennedy pushed back as he said, “I got all that,” and asked the question yet again.
The nominee began by stating that there is a “criminal progress by which people come before the court to be held accountable” and said she has “enormous respect for that process.”
“I do too,” Kennedy interrupted as he asked the question again.
After refusing to directly answer the question, he asked Traum if she has a “view” of his question.
Traum said she does not have a “viewpoint to share on how any particular case should be handled.”
“I didn’t ask that. I can tell you don’t want to share it. I got that part. Do you have a view? I don’t understand why you won’t answer my question if you’re confirmed you’re going to be a federal judge,” the Louisiana senator said.
He continued, “I’m going to ask it again. Maybe it’s me. Do you believe that we should forgive a criminal act in the name of social justice?”
“I share the view that we should be unbiased. But I also share the view that our criminal justice system and our process is very individualized so what should happen in any particular case is a matter of the process and the very specific facts in that case,” Traum said.
After failing to get a satisfactory answer, Kennedy asked, “What’s your favorite color?”
“Blue,” Traum said.
Kennedy responded, “Thank you. I got one. I’m one for about 20. I can’t vote for you. Not if you’re not going to answer questions. I mean, that was embarrassing.”
