Biden reaffirms plans for sweeping Supreme Court reform
The plans include, among other things, limiting the previously lifelong tenure of Supreme Court justices to 18 years in the future. There will also be a binding ethical code for the justices. Additionally, Biden wants to reverse the Supreme Court's recent decision on the immunity of former President Donald Trump through a constitutional amendment. "There are no kings in America," Biden said in Austin.
Biden's proposals follow several highly controversial decisions by the conservative-dominated Supreme Court, including the reversal of the nationwide right to abortion in July 2022 and the decision on broad immunity for current and former presidents from criminal prosecution earlier this month. This ruling, obtained at Trump's request, was hailed by the former president, who is facing four criminal cases, as a great victory.
Biden's reform plan includes introducing a rotation principle in the nine-member Supreme Court. The president would nominate a justice every two years for an 18-year term. This would reduce the likelihood that "disproportionate influence" is exerted on the court during a presidency for generations. The White House explained.
However, Biden's plans have little chance of being implemented given the majority dynamics in the US Congress. Republican support, currently the majority in the House of Representatives, would be needed. The Republican chairman of the House, Mike Johnson, stated that the "dangerous" proposal was doomed to fail.
Biden expressed his intention to challenge the Supreme Court's decision granting former President Trump immunity from criminal prosecution through a constitutional amendment. This move stems from his disappointment with several contentious rulings made by the court, such as the overturning of the nationwide right to abortion and the granting of broad immunity to current and former presidents.
