CNN: Democratic Wave Prompts GOP Anxiety over Samuel Alito and Future of Supreme Court
Democrats’ projected 54-seat Senate majority could block Trump’s nominees and intensify pressure on Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
- As Democrats captured the Senate, Republicans expressed concern that President Donald Trump's opportunity to maintain the Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority has slipped from reach. They worry Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas may remain on the bench until their 80s.
- Both Alito and Thomas, the court's oldest justices, signaled before the October term that they do not intend to retire. Sources close to the justices told CNN on Wednesday they do not anticipate either man leaving the court following election results.
- Conservative legal commentator Ed Whelan noted that any attempt at confirmation before the new Senate is sworn in could backfire. Lame-duck senators such as John Cornyn and Thom Tillis 'aren't going to be eager to do Trump any favors,' he argued.
- 'No Supreme Court justice will be confirmed under President Trump's administration unless something happens in the next six weeks,' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday. This outlook likely extends through the next four years if Democrats control the Senate.
- There was little indication that Alito or Thomas were distracted by political calculations as they took the bench Wednesday to hear a case involving death row inmate Dexter Johnson. Both justices appeared to continue their regular duties.
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97 Articles
Trump’s glide path to judicial confirmations comes to an end
Democrats’ Senate victory means President Trump for the first time will lose a glide path to nominate judges and Supreme Court justices. Pressure had grown on conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito to retire, but they show no sign of imminently stepping down. And Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) is already signaling…
Democrats can now fix the Supreme Court without reforming it
The Democrats’ big win in the Senate has major implications for the Supreme Court — and for how they should think about reforming it.
Democrats will have votes in Senate to stop Trump's judicial nominees
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump led a transformation of the Supreme Court that ushered in a conservative supermajority but soon he will confront an emboldened Democratic-led Senate that is preparing to play hardball on his judicial nominations.
After years of being on the losing side in confirmation disputes against Republicans, especially in Supreme Court nominations, Democrats will now be able to employ the same kind of aggressive tactics.
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