Justice Jackson Completely Misses the Point in First Amendment Case

(USNewsMag.com) – Many people took to social media to criticize Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for her March 18th comment about the First Amendment “hamstringing the federal government.”

Jackson made the comments as the Supreme Court heard the case Murthy v. Missouri, which challenges Big Tech and the Biden administration’s alleged coordination to censor topics such as face masks and Hunter Biden’s laptop “under the guise of combating misinformation.” The lawsuit, brought by the states of Louisiana and Missouri, argued that censoring specific topics and messages violated the First Amendment.

Jackson made the comments while questioning Louisiana Solicitor General Benjamin Aguinaga, saying that Aguinaga’s view of the First Amendment hamstrings the government during “important time periods.” Jackson continued, suggesting the federal government was justified in its actions, saying that the government “encouraging or pressuring” social media platforms “to take down harmful information” is part of the government’s role to protect its citizens.

Social media users quickly responded to her comments, with many, such as Fox and Friends Weekends co-host Will Cain, saying that “the point” of the First Amendment is “hamstringing the federal government.”

California state Rep. Bill Essayli wrote that it is “literally the point of the Bill of Rights.”

Podcaster Tim Pool called Jackson “dangerous.”

The Libs of TikTok account and comedian Tim Young wrote similar posts on Twitter, stating Jackson does not “know what a woman is” and does not “know what the first amendment is.”

Babylon Bee managing editor Joel Berry called the soundbite from the hearing “even worse than the quote,” adding that it is “insane” to have someone on the Supreme Court who does not “believe in the First Amendment.”

Substack columnist Michael Shellenberger compared Jackson to sounding “like a sophomore at Brown.”

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey also responded, saying the First Amendment is supposed to hamstring the government, adding the Constitution’s purpose “is to protect us from the government,” and that the government’s purpose is “to protect our rights.”