Here’s Every Democrat Who Supports Packing the Supreme Court

Here’s Every Democrat Who Supports Packing the Supreme Court

October 27, 2020

Joe Biden: “They’ll know my opinion on court-packing when the election is over. Now, look, I know it’s a great question, and y’all –and I don’t blame you for asking it. But you know the moment I answer that question, the headline in every one of your papers will be about that.”

Kamala Harris: “‘I am interested in having that conversation,’ the California senator said in Nashua, New Hampshire, in response to a question about whether she favors adding as many as four seats to the court. ‘I’m open to this conversation about increasing the number of people on the United States Supreme Court.’”

Senator Chuck Schumer: “Here’s what I think it to expand the court you of course have to expand change the rules of the Senate. Okay. Here is what I’ve said. I have said first, we got to elect a majority on November 3. If we don’t have a Senate majority, forget it. But then I have said everything is on the table. Everything is on the table.

Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, & Kirsten Gillibrand: “Sens. Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand told POLITICO they would not rule out expanding the Supreme Court if elected president, showcasing a new level of interest in the Democratic field on an issue that has until recently remained on the fringes of debate.”

Senator Amy Klobuchar: “I am open to it. It depends on what happens with the Senate.”

Senator Cory Booker: If we do it, and then they do it, but I feel the same way as you do. Our Supreme Court is way out of whack for a lot longer than I’ll be god-willing the president of the United States. And we will be suffering the results of Merrick Garland, and the way that was handled, and Kavanaugh, the way that that was forced through. We’ll be suffering that for a long time. … I’m taking nothing off the table.”

Senator Tim Kaine: “Kaine, the party’s last vice presidential nominee and a lawmaker with a reputation as an institutionalist, said confirming a nominee of President Donald Trump this year could compel Democrats to consider adding seats to the high court. ‘If they show that they’re unwilling to respect precedent, rules and history, then they can’t feign surprise when others talk about using a statutory option that we have that’s fully constitutional in our availability,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to do that. But if they act in such a way, they may push it to an inevitability. So they need to be careful about that.’”

Senator Mazie Hirono: “This is long overdue court reform as far as I’m concerned and Ihave been thinking about court reform and what we can do regarding the Supreme Court to make it so much more objective and so this is not something that a lot of us have not thought about.  (CNN’s New Day, 9/22/20)

Senator Chris Coons: During An Interview On CNN, Coons Said His Mine Was Open To Packing The Court. TAPPER: “Your mind is open aboutadding justices to the Supreme Court? Yes or no? Your mind is open?” SEN. COONS: “Yes.” (CNN’s State Of The Union, 10/18/20)

Rep. Jerry Nadler: “If Sen. McConnell and @SenateGOP were to force through a nominee during the lame duck session—before a new Senate and President can take office—then the incoming Senate should immediately move to expand the Supreme Court.”

Rep. Josh Gottheimer: “I think that that’s going to be up to the Senate to decide, depending on how they proceed here. … They’retrying to rush through this nomination and break their public commitments, which is rather shocking given what they’ve said even recently. If they go forward and jam things through it’s going to have an impact on the institution of the Senate … I think everything is on the table.”

Rep. Paul Tonko: “Democratic Congressman Paul Tonko of New York’s 20th District says, in addition to expanding the Supreme Court, imposing terms limits should be another consideration, and that Senate Democrats should weigh all options.”

Rep. Don Beyer: “Among the ideas being bounced around as a response to a new Republican-appointed Justice, Democrats have considered ending the Senate filibuster, statehood for Washington DC and/or Puerto Rico, expanding the Supreme Court, and term-limits for Justices, as set-forth in new House legislation by Democrats Ro Khanna, Joe Kennedy III, and Don Beyer.”

Rep. Judy Chu: “‘Democratic lawmakers say that if Republicans confirm a new justice before the next inauguration, there will be consequences. ‘Any and all options are on the table,’ said Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA). Chu said one of those options is adding more justices to the Supreme Court––a move Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus says is justified. ‘That’s not in the Constitution and the size of the court has varied from five to nine,’ said Titus. ‘If this court is not passing laws that are in keeping with public opinion, I think it’s perfectly justified to expand the court.’ ‘However, I think that our focus right now needs to be on the election,’ said Chu.” (Alexandra Limon, “Democrats Promise Showdown Over Supreme Court Seat,” CBS -13 WBTW, 9/23/20)

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