Late flight snags Jackson’s committee vote

A Democratic senator’s flight snafu is delaying a committee vote on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) took the panel into a break as it waits for Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) to make it back to Washington, D.C.

“Due to a passenger medical emergency, Senator Padilla’s flight was turned back and returned to LAX, delaying his arrival to Washington. He boarded the first available flight this morning and will arrive this afternoon,” a Padilla spokesperson said. 

Jackson’s nomination is expected to get a tied vote in committee. That doesn’t sink the nomination, but it will require Democrats to take an extra step to discharge her nomination to the full Senate.

But in order to get the tied committee vote, Democrats need Padilla to be present. The committee is evenly split 11-11.

“We have a problem,” Durbin said, referring to Padilla’s flight delay. 

“It is my intention to recess subject to the call of the chair. I believe Sen. Padilla will back in time this afternoon for us to consider this nomination and a record vote,” he added.

Once the committee deadlocks on Jackson’s nomination, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is expected to move to discharge her nomination from the committee and to the full Senate.

That vote is expected to happen on Monday night, putting her on a path to be confirmed by Friday.