Libby Casey, APRN – Washington DC
Alaska’s senators are split on the next United States Supreme Court Justice.
Elena Kagan won confirmation on Thursday by the Senate, on a vote of 63 to 37.
Senator Mark Begich joined with all but one of his Democratic colleagues in supporting her. Five Republicans crossed over to vote for her, but Senator Lisa Murkowski voted no.
Murkowski says her greatest concern is with Kagan’s lack of a record on gun rights issues. Senator Begich disagrees. He says Kagan made it clear she respects the right to bear arms.
Murkowski says she’s glad to see a fourth-ever woman reach the bench. But she’s critical that Kagan will join five other sitting Justices from the North-eastern states.
Kagan grew up in New York City, and attended Princeton, Oxford, and Harvard Law School. Now that the Senate has confirmed her she will take the bench for the Supreme Court’s next term.
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