On Tuesday, July 16, 2024, KVUE reported that President Joe Biden is seriously considering proposals to establish term limits and an ethics code for U.S. Supreme Court justices. According to three unnamed sources briefed on the plans, Biden has been developing these proposals for the past three months in consultation with constitutional scholars.
If implemented, this would mark a significant change for Biden, who previously resisted calls for Supreme Court reforms during his long career in the Senate. However, in light of recent controversial rulings overturning precedents on abortion rights and administrative law, as well as issues surrounding justice ethics, Biden has become more vocal in believing the court has strayed from mainstream constitutional interpretation.
The proposed reforms would limit the length of time justices can serve on the bench and establish an ethics code with legal enforceability. Any changes would require approval from Congress, which is unlikely given the current political divide. However, Biden hopes highlighting these issues could boost support for Democratic candidates in the 2024 elections by galvanizing voters concerned with the court’s conservative direction.
In addition to term limits and an ethics code, Biden is considering a constitutional amendment to eliminate broad presidential immunity established by the court last term. That ruling allowed former President Donald Trump to claim immunity from prosecution over his actions surrounding the January 6th, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol building.
Recent polls show the American public largely supports reforms like term limits or mandatory retirement ages for Supreme Court justices. Confidence in the high court also remains low, with 4 in 10 adults expressing little faith in its current leadership. Most Americans believe ideological leanings, rather than impartial judicial review, now influence the court’s rulings.
Source: KVUE
