In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Republican Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and John Kennedy of Louisiana questioned Biden judicial nominee Sarah Netburn over her 2022 recommendation that a transgender inmate, William McClain (who goes by July Justine Shelby), be housed with female prisoners.
McClain had previous convictions for sex crimes and possession of child pornography. Senators Cruz and Kennedy challenged Netburn's recommendation, expressing concerns about placing a transgender inmate with a history of sexual offenses in a female prison facility.
The hearing centered on the appropriate placement and housing of transgender inmates, particularly those with records of sexual crimes. Senators Cruz and Kennedy pressed Netburn to justify her recommendation in McClain's case, highlighting the potential risks and controversies surrounding such decisions.
Overall, the questioning by Senators Cruz and Kennedy focused on balancing concerns about transgender rights and the safety of female inmates when determining housing placements for transgender prisoners with histories of sexual offenses.
