Pols look to expand Supreme Court
U.S. Sen. Edward Markey is making his case to add four more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, but it doesn’t look like top
Democrats or Republicans are willing to hear it.
Markey teamed up with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D- Ga., and U.S. Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., on
Thursday to unveil legislation that would expand the top court to 13 justices from nine.
But before they were even able to hold a press conference on their bill, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters she has “no plans to bring it to the floor.”
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell blasted the group behind the bill of “hostage-taking” and accused them of wanting “swords dangling over the Senate and state legislatures and independent judges.”
But Markey said Republicans “stole two seats on the Supreme Court” by blocking President Barack Obama’s nominee in 2016
and rushing through a third President Donald Trump nominee weeks before the 2020 election, tipping the top court’s balance to the right.
Markey’s bill, which calls for a chief justice and 12 associate justices, seeks to “undo the damage” by allowing President Biden to fill four seats so “the bench will then rightfully reflect the values of the majority of the American people on whose behalf they serve.”
“It does not end here,” Markey said in a press conference. “I believe ultimately it’s going to be very clear that this legislation has to pass.”
Biden just last week established a 180-day commission to study Supreme Court reforms. In response to the new legislation, the White House press secretary said Biden would continue to wait for its report.
But Biden previously said he’s “not a fan” of court-packing.
And Markey’s calls to abolish the filibuster to pass his bill fly in the face of Biden’s views on the parliamentary procedure.
“President Biden is operating on a separate track, and we await his commission, but we don’t wait for the introduction of the solution,” Markey said.
The number of Supreme Court justices has historically fluctuated, but has been set at nine since shortly after the Civil War and requires congressional approval to change.
Other members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation are split. U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley tweeted her support.
A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton said he’s open to the idea but isn’t backing a specific plan yet.
A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss said he’s waiting on the Biden commission’s report.
U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch said he has “deep reservations about stacking the Supreme Court.”
Lynch added that while it may be “personally satisfying in the short term,” the “long-term effect would be corrosive to the credibility of the judicial branch.”