Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Suggests Attending Grammys Was Basically Community Outreach

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson suggested on Tuesday that her decision to attend the star-studded 2026 Grammy Awards was really just her way of getting “out into the community” while the Court was on hiatus.

Jackson joined the cohosts on ABC’s midday talk show “The View,” where she was primarily promoting the young adult version of her memoir, but the conversation turned to her appearance at the awards show and Republicans who’d criticized her for attending.

WATCH:

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her appearance at the Grammys after a GOP senator called for an investigation: “When the justices are on recess, which is what we are doing right now, we really have an opportunity to go out into the community in various different ways.” pic.twitter.com/kVUMxIEoIK

— The View (@TheView) February 10, 2026

“Some Republicans have criticized the fact that you were even there, given the sort of hot potato political thing with Bad Bunny, et cetera,” cohost Joy Behar pointed out. “They didn’t think you should be there. In fact, Senator Blackburn, Marsha Blackburn, has called for an investigation into your impartiality. So — do you have any response to that?”

“Well, I mean, when you are in public life, criticism, you know, is part of the job. I’m sure all of you have faced it,” Jackson replied, prompting laughter from everyone around the table.

“Another part of the job, actually, my job, is public outreach and education,” Jackson continued. “When the justices are on recess, which is what we are doing right now, we really have an opportunity to go out into the community in various different ways.”

Jackson went on to explain that she’d been in Los Angeles for a moot court — an educational simulation of the appellate court process — “and it just so happened that I got nominated for this Grammy, and I was already going to be there, and I thought this is great opportunity to highlight my work in this way and to see what’s happening at the Grammys.”

Jackson was nominated in the Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording category for her memoir “Lovely One,” but ultimately lost to the Dalai Lama.