Justice Jackson Ripped For Comments on First Amendment

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made some highly questionable comments concerning the First Amendment on Monday, March 18th.

The Supreme Court recently heard the Murthy v. Missouri case, which challenges Biden’s administration’s alleged coordination with Big Tech to censor messages.

Justice Jackson ripped for worrying about the First Amendment 'hamstringing' government: 'Literally the point' https://t.co/SHcULBjWXF

— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 19, 2024

The Murthy v. Missouri lawsuit was presented by Republican-led states of Missouri and Louisiana, which accuses government officials of working with social media.

The Federalist goes into more details about Jackson’s comments:

“My biggest concern is that your view has the First Amendment hamstringing the federal government in significant ways in the most important time periods,” she told the lawyer representing Louisiana, Missouri and private plaintiffs.

“And so I guess some might say that the government actually has a duty to take steps to protect the citizens of this country, and you seem to be suggesting that that duty cannot manifest itself in the government encouraging or even pressuring platforms to take down harmful information,” she continued.

“So can you help me? Because I’m really – I’m really worried about that because you’ve got the First Amendment operating in an environment of threatening circumstances from the government’s perspective, and you’re saying that the government can’t interact with the source of those problems,” Jackson added

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Fox News goes on to include some reactions from people on social media:

Her comments quickly went viral with dozens of people insisting that “hamstringing the federal government” is “literally the point” of the First Amendment.

“That’s literally the point of the Bill of Rights. The government’s powers derive from, and are subservient to, the rights of the People,” California state Rep. Bill Essayli echoed.

“I would be more concerned if the First Amendment did not hamstring the government in significant ways,” said Reason senior editor Robby Soave.

“This is not funny This lady is dangerous,” podcaster Tim Pool wrote.

OutKick writer Ian Miller wrote, “Always encouraging to see Supreme Court justices show this little understanding of the foundational principles of the United States.”

There are many more on X that continue to mock the comments:

The same Justice Brown Jackson who couldn’t define the word “woman” has no clue about the 1st Amendment. What a bleepin’ embarrassment! pic.twitter.com/AezlX2KpBS

— Deneen Borelli (@deneenborelli) March 18, 2024

Who thinks the 1st Amendment is pretty important?
It appears Justice Jackson has issues with it?
Who could have predicted this? https://t.co/eS5v1JRs0m

— floridanow1 (@floridanow1) March 19, 2024

https://twitter.com/ShotsRangOut/status/1769816478943985842

Ironically, Biden had some interesting words to say about Jackson on the same day:

Earlier today, Biden claimed Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is "the brightest person on the Court" pic.twitter.com/IBEt7sHe1P

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 18, 2024

The Turning Point USA adds more on Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s comments:

“It’s a very, very threatening thing when the federal government uses the power and authority of the government to block people from exercising their freedom of speech,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in response to Justice Jackson’s statements.

“The implications are enormous, there’s a to hanging in the balance here. If the Supreme Court sanctions what the federal government did—we have thousands of pages of emails and documents in the record that support the findings of the courts below that describe this as a sprawling enterprise, Orwellian in nature, to censure the American public,” the Louisiana Attorney General said while appearing on Fox News. “I think the consequences are very great if the Supreme Court says we have no remedy for that.”

It’s a scary time to think there is a Justice on the Supreme Court who questions whether the First Amendment should blo