N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy bats down Democratic calls to change Supreme Court

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Sunday poured cold water on demands from Democrats and liberal activists that Congress alter the Supreme Court after a string of setbacks at the hands of the court’s conservative majority.

“As painful as this radical court has been taking away rights and freedoms, I’m in the camp that you play within the rules,” Mr. Murphy, a Democrat, told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And I have to say, that’s a tough conclusion, given the extremity of whether it’s LGBTQ decisions, abortion, student loans, affirmative action — one gut punch after another. I think you still play within the rules.”

President Biden and many congressional Democrats have rebuffed demands from progressives to pass changes like judicial term limits or expanding the nine-seat court bench.

Senate Democrats next week will begin considering legislation to institute ethics rules for the justices in response to conflicts of interest accusations over conservative members receiving lavish gifts from wealthy Republican donors.

Some House Democrats have called for those members, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr., to resign or be impeached by the Senate.

Democrats have also accused the court of being composed of “MAGA extremists” after ruling against race-based affirmative action for college admissions, Mr. Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan and LGBTQ rights.

“Voters know that the court is just out of touch with their lives, that the court is taking away their rights, taking away women’s rights to control their own body, taking away students relief in terms of the student loans,” Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who backs Supreme Court term limits, said Sunday on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki.” “The president forgave the loans. The Supreme Court took that money away, and they see these justices, they see all the ethical conflicts, and they’re saying enough with it. Let’s have a clean slate and term limits.”