Rumors of Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement on Monday sparked warnings of political “war” on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
“GMA’s” George Stephanopoulos, Terry Moran and Robin Roberts told viewers that Washington lawmakers would go apoplectic if President Trump were tasked with nominating a second Supreme Court justice following the appointment of Neil M. Gorsuch.
Justice Kennedy, 80, is the longest-serving member of the court.
“This would be huge, Robin,” Mr. Moran said, the media watchdog MRC reported. “Justice Kennedy — this in many ways is the Kennedy Court, he’s the swing vote for more than a decade on crucial issues, abortion, affirmative action, the civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans, including marriage. He has been the crucial vote. If he decides to retire, and there are signs that he would, it would be a war for this court like nothing seen in the past 30 years since the nomination of Robert Bork was defeated and Justice Kennedy took his seat.”
Ms. Roberts concurred, which prompted Mr. Stephanopoulos to issue his own warning.
“Everything changes in Washington if he retires; it would be just seismic,” he said.
Justice Kennedy has long been considered an unpredictable member of the court. He was nominated by Ronald Reagan and joined the court in February 1988.
Speculation about the justice’s future comes in conjunction with the high court’s ruling that much of the president’s travel ban on six Muslim-majority nations may go into effect.
The full case will go before the court in October.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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