President Joe Biden has proposed a series of reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court, sparking controversy and drawing criticism from Republicans. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell compared the proposed changes to the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol, arguing that they aim to disrupt the traditional transfer of power. “That’s what some people were trying to do on Jan.Congress can take action to establish 18-year terms for Supreme Court justices and bring regular turnover to the bench. The result would be a more legitimate, ethical Court that better reflects American values.https://t.co/Ssm6Vc9VU0
— Brennan Center (@BrennanCenter) August 3, 2024
6 — to break the system of handing an administration from one to the next,” McConnell said in an interview with Punchbowl News. “We can have our arguments, but we ought to not try to break the rules.”The Supreme Court is mired in scandals. A binding ethics code would help restore public confidence in fairness and impartiality.https://t.co/z3dFJJPZAo
— Brennan Center (@BrennanCenter) August 3, 2024
Biden’s reforms include a provision allowing a president to appoint a new justice every two years and implementing a binding code of conduct. McConnell criticized these measures, suggesting they would be “dead on arrival” in the legislative branch. “I couldn’t be more disappointed. This is a man who was chairman of the Judiciary Committee for a long time. He absolutely knows what he recommended is unconstitutional, to try to limit the terms of the Supreme Court justices who under the Constitution are appointed for life,” McConnell said. Former Attorney General William Barr echoed McConnell’s sentiment in an op-ed published by Fox News, warning that the campaign to radically change the Court is coming and that current proposals threaten the Constitution and the separation of powers. Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden has endorsed for president, has embraced the reforms.There is no substitute for an independent judiciary, and the left should not be allowed to dress up its attacks as “reform.”
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) August 2, 2024
My op-ed in @postopinions: https://t.co/eLF468zMYC