Fox News host Tucker Carlson was decried as racist after he called on President Joe Biden to release Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson's Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score.
Biden nominated Jackson to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on February 25, delivering on a campaign promise to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court if given the chance.
Jackson is currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. If confirmed, she would be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
But after Biden described Jackson as "one of our nation's top legal minds" during his State of the Union address, Carlson questioned her credentials.
"Biden went on to mention someone called Ketanji Brown Jackson," Carlson said on his show Wednesday night.
Tucker: It might be time for Joe Biden to let us know Ketanji Brown Jackson’s LSAT score was. Why wouldn’t he tell us that… pic.twitter.com/boPHU5PnMd — Acyn (@Acyn) March 3, 2022
"That's not a name most Americans know because Ketanji Brown Jackson has been an appellate judge for less than a year. But Joe Biden assured us she is, quote, 'one of our top legal minds.'"
He then played a clip from Biden's address, where the president noted that nominating someone to the Supreme Court is one of the "most serious" constitutional responsibilities of a president.
"So, is Ketanji Brown Jackson—a name that even Joe Biden has trouble pronouncing—one of the top legal minds in the entire country?" Carlson went on.
"We certainly hope so. Biden's right. Appointing her is one of his gravest constitutional duties. So it might be time for Joe Biden to let us know what Ketanji Brown Jackson's LSAT score was.
"How did she do on the LSATs? Why wouldn't you tell us that? That would settle the question conclusively as to whether she's a once-in-a-generation legal talent, the next Learned Hand. It would seem like Americans in a democracy have a right to know that and much more before giving her a lifetime appointment, but we didn't hear that."
On February 25, Carlson complained that Jackson was picked "on the basis of appearance."
His latest comments sparked a backlash on social media, with some noting that he did not demand to see the LSAT scores of any of former President Donald Trump's conservative appointments to the court.
Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison wrote on Twitter: "Judge Brown Jackson graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard, Cum Laude from Harvard Law, & was the editor of the Harvard Law review. She is the real deal. I've never heard 'Tie Too Tight' ask about lsat scores for other nominees, but typical of those who feel a bit 'inadequate.'"
Judge Brown Jackson graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard, Cum Laude from Harvard Law, & was the editor of the Harvard Law review. She is the real deal. I’ve never heard “Tie Too Tight” ask about lsat scores for other nominees, but typical of those who feel a bit “inadequate.” https://t.co/GeU6qE1isG — Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) March 3, 2022
"This is patently racist," tweeted Richard Signorelli, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, adding that he was never asked for his LSAT score by any employer.
BTW, her LSAT score is probably phenomenal but no one asks for it as a qualifying measure for any legal position. I know I was never asked for it at the firms I worked for including @HughesHubbard & the @SDNYnews — Richard Signorelli (@richsignorelli) March 3, 2022
The Nation's Elie Mystal wrote: "It's bad form at Harvard Law School to even *mention* your LSAT score and Tucker would know that if he wasn't an idiot frozen dinner scion who literally couldn't buy his way into Harvard or standardize test himself out of a paper bag."
It's bad form at Harvard Law School to even *mention* your LSAT score and Tucker would know that if he wasn't an idiot frozen dinner scion who literally couldn't buy his way into Harvard or standardize test himself out of a paper bag. https://t.co/QgDmyyWtqw — Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) March 3, 2022
In another tweet, Mystal said "the kind of racism Tucker is throwing at KBJ happens to Black people *all the time* in the legal profession. We're constantly asked to *re*prove that we're 'qualified' by white people who are never satisfied no way."
And Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote: "This is textbook racism. Not even a dog whistle. Show clips of Tucker asking for LSATs of a white candidate. Outside of the ridiculous argument that scores to get INTO law school are the measure of qualification, the presumption that Black pp are dumb is standard white supremacy."
This is textbook racism. Not even a dog whistle. Show clips of Tucker asking for LSATs of a white candidate. Outside of the ridiculous argument that scores to get INTO law school are the measure of qualification, the presumption that Black pp are dumb is standard white supremacy. https://t.co/KmCC973RMz — Ida Bae Wells (@nhannahjones) March 3, 2022
The Daily Beast columnist Wajahat Ali, who described himself as a "recovering attorney," wrote that LSAT "doesn't guarantee smarts, competence, or empathy."
He said: "There are cruel morons who got high LSAT scores & kind, brilliant lawyers who got terrible scores. This is just Tucker Carlson's 'birther' moment for Judge Ketanji B Jackson."
Newsweek has contacted Fox News and the White House for comment.
Working-Ad833 on March 3rd, 2022 at 13:26 UTC »
Question: did he ever ask to see any other nominated justices LSAT - like for Kavanaugh whose LSAT score could have been impacted by all the beers he was drinking at the time.
Appalachia9841 on March 3rd, 2022 at 13:25 UTC »
She went to HARVARD and was Editor of the Harvard Law Review. Like go fuck yourself, Tucker. All you have is a BA from a Christian college.
Btw - this bit of his bio is hilarious: After college, Carlson tried to join the Central Intelligence Agency, but his application was denied, after which he decided to pursue a career in journalism with the encouragement of his father, who advised him that "they'll take anybody."
Edit: LAW review, not Lit review.
GhettoChemist on March 3rd, 2022 at 13:03 UTC »
If it was a 180 (perfect score) Tucker Carlson would insist she take the LSAT again to prove that is her score