Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to retire, opening door for Biden appointment
Liberal justice will reportedly step down from the Supreme Court at the end of the current term, giving President Biden an opening to appoint a long-serving successor; the 'Outnumbered' panel reacts.
Members of the progressive "Squad" have quickly responded to news of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement by calling for a Black woman to take his place.
"It is past time for a Black woman to be named to the Supreme Court," Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., tweeted on Wednesday.
Bush later specified that "[i]dentity is important but it is not enough."
"I would love to see a Black woman who will insist on racial, environmental, social, disability, and economic justice named to the Supreme Court," she tweeted.
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE STEPHEN BREYER TO RETIRE
Fellow "Squad"-mate Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., similarly reminded President Biden of his pledge to nominate a Black woman.
".@POTUS you promised us a Black woman on the Supreme Court," he tweeted, using the handle for President Biden's account. "Let’s see it happen."
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., retweeted posts from Bowman and Bush.
"We are putting together a list of African American women who are qualified and have the experience to be on the court. I am not going to release that until we go further down the line in vetting them as well," Biden said at a press conference on June 30, 2021.
In addition, Biden promised on the campaign trail to ensure a Black woman is nominated.
"We talked about the Supreme Court — I’m looking forward to making sure there’s a Black woman on the Supreme Court to make sure we in fact get everyone represented," he said during a Democratic debate in February 2020.
".@POTUS, it's time for a Black woman on the Supreme Court," said Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.
Fox News confirmed Breyer's intent to retire on Wednesday.
Breyer has been a justice since 1994, appointed by President 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 Trump filled the vacancy with a conservative justice, Amy Coney Barrett.
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Breyer's retirement will likely reinvigorate debates about court-packing, which have surfaced in response to Coney Barrett's and then-Judge Merrick Garland's nominations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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