AP

AP sources: Justice Breyer to retire; Biden to fill vacancy

(Source: https://goo.gl/1g6XYo License: https://goo.gl/OOAQfn)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring, giving President Joe Biden an opening he has pledged to fill by naming the first Black woman to the high court, two sources told The Associated Press Wednesday.

Breyer, 83, has been a pragmatic force on a court that has grown increasingly conservative in recent years, trying to forge majorities with more moderate justices right and left of center.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to preempt Breyer’s eventual announcement. NBC first reported the justice’s plans.

Breyer has been a justice since 1994, appointed by President Bill Clinton. Along with the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Breyer opted not to step down the last time the Democrats controlled the White House and the Senate during Barack Obama’s presidency. Ginsburg died in September 2020, and then-President Donald Trump filled the vacancy with a conservative justice, Amy Coney Barrett.

Breyer’s departure, expected over the summer, won’t change the 6-3 conservative advantage on the court because his replacement will be nominated by Biden and almost certainly confirmed by a Senate where Democrats have the slimmest majority. It also makes conservative Justice Clarence Thomas the oldest member of the court at 73.

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1 comment

Supreme Court shouldn't be political leaning, only Constitutional January 26, 2022 at 6:24 pm

What are the chances that Biden will appoint someone that rules based on the Constitution…?

Its the craziest thing to me that these Judges are even allowed to pass a valid ruling without citing how their ruling is inline with the Constitution.

Too bad the Senate couldn’t do something about that.

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