Cruz: Democrats spent Trump-nominee hearings 'in the gutter,' while GOP focused on Jackson's record
He says Democrats made it personal for conservative nominees
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There is rank hypocrisy behind Senate Democrats like Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island gushing over Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination, Sen. Ted Cruz said Wednesday.
Cruz, R-Texas, told "Jesse Watters Primetime" the same Democrats often went "into the gutter" in their questioning of then-nominees Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — adding that GOP questions of Jackson were relevant to her record, not personal.
"You played clips of the Democrats slamming Republican nominees, going personal, going into the gutter, going after their character," Cruz said. "If you look at the hearing the last two days, the questions that Republicans focused on were her record and in particular, her judicial record."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Host Jesse Watters played clips highlighting the dichotomy of Whitehouse's and other Democrats' statements.
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Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In the case of the Rhode Island lawmaker, he previously asked Kavanaugh about a "ralphing" contest during a beach party — while Wednesday telling Jackson to "relax" while informing her of his predetermined intent to support her confirmation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Booker, meanwhile, offered commentary complimentary of Jackson in both of his rounds of questioning.
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Ted Cruz on 'The Story' (Fox News)
Cruz told Watters that his questions for Jackson about the sensitive topic of child pornography were not personal like those from Whitehouse toward Kavanaugh, but intentionally meant to allow her to discuss her record.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If you look at her record as a federal judge in criminal cases and particularly cases concerning child pornography over and over and over again, she gives incredibly lenient sentences," he said.
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
"In every single case where she had discretion a child pornography case, she gave dramatically lower sentences than the sentencing guidelines provide for, and that the prosecutor asked for."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"And the Democrats just kept getting upset, saying, ‘How dare you focus on her actual record?’ You know, I think the American people are concerned whether we'll have a Supreme Court justice that's going to follow the law, or we're going to have a Supreme Court justice that is looking for loopholes to let violent criminals out of jail," he said.
"And I've got to say, her answers and her record in this regard were really concerning," Cruz said, adding that he plans to oppose her confirmation.