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Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) has sided with Republicans to block President Biden’s nomination of Judge Sarah Netburn, marking a rare instance of a Democrat breaking ranks on a significant issue.
Sen. Ossoff’s vote came amid heated controversy surrounding Judge Netburn, who faced intense scrutiny for her ruling that a transgender woman convicted of sex crimes should be moved to a federal women’s prison.
The case in question involved “July Justine Shelby,” a transgender woman sentenced to 15 years at the Otisville Federal Correctional Institution, a men’s prison. Netburn recommended Shelby’s transfer to a federal women’s prison, defying objections from the Bureau of Prisons.
Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), criticized this decision, accusing Netburn of prioritizing political ideology over justice and the safety of female prisoners. Cruz said, “This judge is ruling the Constitution requires that biological men who wake up one day and say I’m a woman have to be housed with female prisoners. This judge also ruled in effect that female prisoners have no rights.”
His comments reflected a broader Republican sentiment that Judge Netburn’s decisions could undermine established prison policies and safety protocols. In addition to Sen. Cruz, Netburn clashed with Sen. Lindsey Graham after she said she lacked knowledge in biology and couldn’t answer questions about determining sex through chromosomal analysis.