February 6, 2026
Sen. Marsha Blackburn Crashes Out Over Ketanji Brown-Jackson’s Grammy Appearance, Urges Investigation
The sudden backlash comes amid the surge of anti-ICE celebration from several Grammy Award-winning artists
GOP leaders like Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn are bothered that Grammy nominee and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was at the 2026 Grammy Awards. So much so that she wants Chief Justice John Roberts to launch an investigation after claiming she celebrated the anti-ICE rhetoric at the music honors, Fox News reports.
While admitting it’s not “unheard of or unusual for a Supreme Court justice to attend a public function,” the Senate Judiciary Committee member called for an investigation into whether the Grammy-nominated Justice’s appearance violated the high court’s Code of Conduct. If so, Brown-Jackson would be required to recuse herself from certain cases. “Very rarely—if ever—have justices of our nation’s highest Court been present at an event at which attendees have amplified such far-left rhetoric,” Blackburn continued in her letter.
“To that end, in the interest of a fair-minded, impartial, and independent federal judiciary, I urge you to initiate an investigation into Justice Jackson’s attendance at this event and if her participation in any way would require recusal from matters that will come before the Court.”
The sudden backlash comes amid a surge of anti-ICE protests by several Grammy Award-winning artists, including country star Shaboozy and Super Bowl performer Bad Bunny.
Host Trevor Noah gave the first Black woman Supreme Court Justice a shout-out for her audiobook nomination of “Lovely One: A Memoir.” The crowd erupted in applause, and somehow Blackburn spun it to claim she was clapping for the anti-ICE sentiments.
And Blackburn seemingly took a random dig at the trans community. “Instead of taking the time to learn what a woman is, Ketanji Brown Jackson was at the Grammy’s applauding anti-ICE rhetoric,” the senator wrote.
“How can Americans trust her to be impartial on the highest court in the land?”
Blackburn compared the Justice’s attendance to Democrats and the media coming for Republican-appointed justices. An example she gave in her letter was when Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin and Sheldon Whitehouse urged Roberts to make sure conservative Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from the 2020 election and Jan. 6-related cases after his wife faced criticism for putting up a Revolutionary War-era flag at their home.
Other Republican leaders continued to claim Brown-Jackson was clapping for the ICE opposition, like Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Paul Renner. “A Supreme Court Justice who swore an oath to uphold the rule of law, instead cheers for its undoing,” he wrote, according to Newsweek.
But those who watched the Grammy Awards felt no harm was done. “This clip does not show Justice Brown Jackson applauding ‘Anti-ICE’ rhetoric. The clip shows her smiling and applauding as she is recognized for her Grammy nomination for Best Audio Book. Republican politicians lie like they breathe,” political commentator Micah Erfan said.
Journalist Carla Marinucci wrote that she “deserved to be in that room” as a nominee.
Since Blackburn wanted to suggest what the Biden appointee should be doing, social media took the time to remind her of her duties. “Instead of looking into the tens of thousands of Tennessee residents without electricity and heat, you were hosting that skank Kid Rock,” @shroganaw said.
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