Stephen Breyer news - latest: Biden stands by Black woman justice pledge as party outlines one month timetable
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Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is expected to announce his retirement as soon as Thursday, NBC News reported. This gives President Joe Biden an opportunity to replace one of the court’s three Democrat appointees and bolster the court’s liberal wing.
Democrats hoped Mr Breyer, who is 83 years old, would retire while they hold the majority in the Senate before the 2022 midterm elections, since Republicans are expected to win the majority.
In response to shouted questions from the press, President Joe Biden said: “Every justice has the right to decide what he or she is going to do and announce it on their own... There has been no announcement from Justice Breyer. Let him make whatever statement he’s going to make and I’ll be happy to talk about later.”
The White House says the president will stick by his commitment to nominate a Black woman to the court, and Senate Majority Leader Schumer will seek a quick one-month turnaround on the appointment.
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Ketanji Brown Jackson would be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.
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Ms Jackson would be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court
Supreme Court nominees exempt from White House visitor log transparency
CNN’s Kaitlin Collins notes a slight caveat regarding the public release of White House visitor logs.
Under the Trump presidency, visitor logs were not made public. In a move towards improved transparency, they have once again been released since Joe Biden took office.
However, there are some exceptions to the rule where a meeting might be particularly sensitive, and this includes potential Supreme Court nominees.
Trump fundraising off Breyer retirement reports
Former President Donald Trump’s joint fundraising committee is fundraising off of reports of Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement.
There is a pledge of a “5X-IMPACT” to donors who contribute following the news.
Senator Padilla hopes to confirm candidate who represents diversity
Senator Alex Padilla of California, one of the Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, tweets: “Thank you Justice Breyer for a lifelong career of standing up for equal justice under law. I look forward to working with my colleagues to swiftly confirm a qualified nominee who represents our country’s incredible diversity and will uphold the principles of our Constitution.”
Democrats want swift confirmation of Breyer replacement
Senate Democrats who have played defense for the last three Supreme Court vacancies plan to move swiftly to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, using the rapid 2020 confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett as a new standard.
Justice Barrett was confirmed exactly a month after then-President Donald Trump nominated her to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — and just five weeks after Ginsburg’s death in September of that year. Democrats sharply criticised that timeline then, arguing that most confirmations had taken much longer and that Republicans were trying to jam the nomination through in case Trump lost reelection.
But now that they hold the presidency and the Senate, though just barely, Democrats navigating the complicated politics of a 50-50 chamber are eyeing a similarly swift schedule, even if Breyer does not officially step down until the summer.
AP
Senators Sinema and Manchin both voted for Biden judicial nominees
While Democrat Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema may have been thorns in the side of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda in the Senate, they have both consistently voted for his judicial nominations.
Both voted to confirm DC Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2021.
Manchin says he takes responsibilities on Supreme Court nominations seriously
West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin wish Justice Breyer a happy retirement, adding: “I take my Constitutional responsibility to advise and consent on a nominee to the Supreme Court very seriously. I look forward to meeting with and evaluating the qualifications of President Biden’s nominee to fill this Supreme Court vacancy.”
McConnell will weigh in later
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is not saying much about the news of Justice Breyer’s retirement.
He told reporters in Kentucky that he will weigh in on the topic when the retirement is officially announced.
Elizabeth Warren ‘delighted’ Biden will stand by pledge
Appearing on MSNBC on Wednesday afternoon, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said she is “delighted” that President Joe Biden is standing by his pledge to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.
Breyer ‘surprised’ by today’s events
Justice Breyer had decided by himself to retire and an announcement was due soon, but reports say someone jumped the gun and he was surprised by how today played out.
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