Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer said he is considering a number of factors in weighing whether he should retire from the high court and is wary of liberals’ calls to add justices to the bench.
In an interview with the New York Times published Friday, the 83-year-old justice said one of those factors is the president who would appoint his successor as he doesn’t want to see his legacy undone.
“I don’t think I’m going to stay there till I die — hope not,” Justice Breyer said. “There are a lot of blurred things there, and there are many considerations.
The far-left has been calling for Justice Breyer, a Clinton appointee and the oldest justice, to step aside so President Biden can appoint a younger, liberal jurist to his seat.
They also are arguing for an expansion of the Supreme Court, angered by the 6-3 conservative majority that former President Trump was able to cement with three new justices during his administration.
But Justice Breyer pushed back against the proposal to add justices to the court, suggesting that move could just lead to the next Republican president doing the same.
“Think twice, at least,” he said. “If A can do it, B can do it. And what are you going to have when you have A and B doing it?”
Justice Breyer has served on the court since 1994. He is the most senior liberal justice following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg last year.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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