Tensions over controlling the supreme court are very high.
Amidst whispers from various left-leaning activists urging Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the eldest Democratic-appointed member of the Supreme Court, to consider stepping down from her position, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has voiced some of the most assertive sentiments. His remarks, approaching what some perceive as a push for Sotomayor’s departure to afford President Joe Biden the chance to appoint a replacement, were made in an interview with NBC News. Blumenthal emphasized the importance for Sotomayor to carefully consider the factors at play.
“While I hold Justice Sotomayor in high regard,” Blumenthal stated, “she must weigh the various considerations. We ought to learn from past events. The adage ‘graveyards are full of indispensable people’ applies here, even to ourselves in [the Senate].”
The catalyst for such calls lies in the memory of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing in September 2020, which allowed then-President Donald Trump to nominate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, tilting the court toward a 6-3 conservative majority. Activists are keen to avoid a similar scenario unfolding.
Blumenthal stressed the importance for justices to take into account not only their personal health and vitality but also the broader national and public interests in ensuring the Supreme Court is reflective of the nation’s diversity. While acknowledging Sotomayor’s significant accomplishments and her current effectiveness as a justice, he hinted at the broader implications for the court’s composition.
Although Blumenthal and fellow Democrats have refrained from openly calling for Sotomayor’s resignation, pressure from activists advocating for her retirement under a Democratic administration has begun to mount. This echoes similar efforts aimed at Justice Stephen Breyer earlier in President Biden’s term, which culminated in Breyer’s retirement announcement in January 2022 and the subsequent appointment of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
When questioned about the activism urging Sotomayor’s resignation, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized that such a decision rests solely with the justice in question.
“This is a personal decision for the justice to make,” Jean-Pierre asserted during a press briefing. “It’s not something we involve ourselves in. Each justice deserves the space and autonomy to make that choice.”
Sotomayor, appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2009, holds the distinction of being the first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court, further underscoring the significance of the ongoing deliberations regarding her tenure.
