Free Republic

Supreme Court-designate Ketanji Brown Jackson didn’t attempt to stay neutral on a gun control issue that could land before the high court one day. During a commencement address at Harvard University last week, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern listed several items her government has accomplished in recent years, including “banning military-style semi-automatics and assault rifles.” New Zealand banned these weapons after the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting, which left 51 dead. Jackson, who was sitting near Ardern, was seen applauding while the graduates gave a standing ovation.

The U.S. Senate has approved the historic nomination of Pakistani-American Zahid Quraishi to the District Court in New Jersey, making him the first Muslim federal judge in the country’s history. The Senate voted 81-16 on Thursday to confirm Mr. Quraishi, 46. As many as 34 Republicans joined the Democrats in confirming the first-ever Muslim-American as a federal judge. Currently, a magistrate judge for the District of New Jersey, Mr. Quraishi would now make history when he will be sworn in as the Judge of the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.