On The Hill: Republicans, Democrats split on expanding Supreme Court
On The Hill is where we bring you perspectives from both sides of the aisle
WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — Republicans are raising concerns that Democrats will expand the Supreme Court if they take the majority. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) isn’t closing the door to the idea.
“I was a law clerk at the Supreme Court more than 40 years ago,” he said. “We started debating then whether the Supreme Court should be increased in the number of justices. This issue has been around for decades. And I am continuing to review and think about it. So I think that a commission to study it — probably a good step in the right direction.”
Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden said he’ll form a bipartisan commission to study possible reforms for the high court. That could include expanding the number of justices or ending lifetime appointments.
Congress could add to the current nine justices on the court, by passing a law.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said he hopes talk of “court packing” goes away.
“I hope after the election, Republicans and Democrats will go back to the time-honored premise that nine judges, it’s not in the Constitution, but it’s part of our great tradition, and we’ve had this since the time of Abraham Lincoln,” Sen. Wicker said. “It would be a massive change, to enlarge the Supreme Court and pack it with members of either party.”
The latest controversy was sparked by what Democrats said was a rush to put Judge Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court. The Senate is expected to confirm President Donald Trump’s pick for the high court on Monday.