Democrats are increasing their pressure on President Biden to expand the Supreme Court in response to recent legal defeats for the party. The Congressional Progressive Caucus is intensifying its efforts to impose term limits and confirm new justices in order to outweigh the current conservative majority of 6-3. Democrats are also arguing that the current court is illegitimate, a claim that Biden himself contributed to after the recent ruling on affirmative action.
Representative Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, stated that it is crucial to pass the Judiciary Act and the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act introduced by Representatives Jerry Nadler, Hank Johnson, and Mondaire Jones. These bills aim to add justices, expand the Supreme Court, establish ethics and recusal standards, and disclose lobbying and dark money interests.
Representative Don Beyer voiced concerns about recent partisan decisions by the Supreme Court, which have weakened protections for reproductive rights and voting rights, among other issues. Beyer believes that these decisions have eroded public trust in the court, especially considering the questionable financial relationships between justices and conservative donors, raising questions about its integrity.
President Biden, however, has resisted pressure from his party to expand the Supreme Court. Upon assuming office, he established a presidential commission to study the court and provide recommendations for necessary reforms. The commission’s report advised against court-packing, a term that many Democrats have attempted to reframe as “expanding the court.”
Although the commission did not recommend court expansion, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remarked that the topic of court-packing should remain open for discussion. Pelosi emphasized the need for term limits and ethical rules that justices should adhere to. She also criticized a justice, possibly Clarence Thomas, whom she believed lacked integrity.
Biden himself faced criticism for undermining the legitimacy of the current court following recent rulings. He expressed strong disagreement with the court’s decision against affirmative action, stating that the court had deviated from decades of established precedent. Biden referred to the court as being “not normal,” further fueling discussions about court expansion.
Democrats have questioned the legitimacy of the Supreme Court ever since the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett before the 2022 election. The court’s decision to overrule the landmark abortion case, Roe v. Wade, last June only added to the frustration among Democrats.
As Democrats continue to advocate for court expansion, they argue that it is necessary to counterbalance the conservative majority on the Supreme Court. They view recent decisions as threats to important rights and principles, leading to a loss of trust in the court’s integrity.
This article was written by Anders Hagstrom, a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. For tips, contact [email protected] or find him on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
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