Far-left groups are calling on their progressive brethren in Congress to rally behind lingering legislation to “pack” the Supreme Court.
The pressure campaign from the “Unrig the Courts” coalition comes ahead of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who President Biden nominated last month to replace retiring Justice Stephen G. Breyer.
The groups — including Demand Justice, Indivisible and the Sunrise Movement — called on every member of the Progressive Congressional Caucus to co-sponsor the Judiciary Act of 2021, saying it would “add four seats to the Supreme Court and restore balance to our nation’s highest court to protect our most sacred rights from the right-wing supermajority appointed to the bench by Donald Trump.”
“By rebalancing the court, the Judiciary Act of 2021 would protect our constitutional rights and liberties and reverse the partisan takeover of the Court spearheaded by Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, and other right-wing politicians,” the coalition said in a letter.
For his part, Mr. Biden has refused to embrace the idea.
Mr. Biden’s Supreme Court advisory commission released in December a report that lays out various ideas for overhauling the court but takes no position on the controversial idea of expanding it.
“Supporters contend that Court expansion is necessary to address serious violations of norms governing the confirmation process and troubling developments in the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence that they see as undermining the democratic system,” the report said. “Opponents contend that expanding — or ‘packing’ — the Court would significantly diminish its independence and legitimacy and establish a dangerous precedent that could be used by any future political force as a means of pressuring or intimidating the Court.
“The Commission takes no position on the validity or strength of these claims,” the report said. “Mirroring the broader public debate, there is profound disagreement among Commissioners on these issues.”
The signatories of the letter to progressive lawmakers included CPD Action, Demos Action, Just Democracy, People’s Parity Project, Stand Up America and Take Back the Court Action Fund.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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