MSNBC guest: ‘Looked like I saw Ted Cruz commit a hate crime’ against Judge Jackson

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MSNBC guest: Sen. Cruz's CRT question to Judge Jackson was a 'hate crime'

MSNBC guest Chai Komanduri accused Sen. Ted Cruz of committing a 'hate crime' during the Senate's confirmation hearing on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

One MSNBC commentator was so appalled by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, questioning Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson about her support for critical race theory, he claimed it was like watching the senator commit a "hate crime" against the Supreme Court nominee.

Jackson faced several questions Tuesday from Cruz about her knowledge and support of critical race theory. Jackson has previously praised New York Times' reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones’ "1619 Project" and serves on the board of trustees of an elite, private school in Washington D.C., which promotes CRT books such as Ibram X. Kendi’s "How to be an Anti-Racist."

During a break in the hearing Tuesday evening on "The Beat," political strategist and MSNBC commentator Chai Komanduri asserted that Judge Jackson was only being asked about CRT because she is a Black woman. He told MSNBC host Ari Melber, the CRT questions were about "casting her as a radical. As a Black radical who is out to get White people."

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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the nomination of Samantha Power to be the next Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Tuesday, March 23, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)

Komanduri went on to say watching Cruz question Jackson felt like witnessing a "hate crime."

"[I]t's really ugly. Quite frankly, it looked like I saw Ted Cruz commit a hate crime, in that hearing room. It was McCarthyism at its worst," he said.

He also accused the GOP of stirring up racial grievances against the Black nominee.

"He wants to gin up White grievance, him and Marsha Blackburn, the GOP want to gin up White grievance, ahead of the midterm and link Judge Jackson to that cause. It's really frankly was disgusting and ugly to watch," Komanduri added.

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Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tuesday, March 22, 2022, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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Fellow guest Yodit Tewolde, had high praise for Jackson, who would be the first Black woman to be on the Supreme Court if confirmed.

The criminal defense attorney and Black News Channel host agreed with her fellow guest that Jackson was "overqualified" and faced unfair treatment due to her gender and race, against "irrelevant and uninformed attacks" by "underqualified men."

After calling Jackson "basically unimpeachable," Tewolde accused the Republican senators of spreading misinformation about Jackson.

"They were misinformed, they were trying to misinform and confuse the American people, rather than honestly rallying behind one of the most qualified individuals for the high court, and instead, political posturing is what you got," she said.