Kamala Harris' Past Statements Suggest Openness to Supreme Court Packing

Vice President Kamala Harris has expressed support for court packing in the past, raising questions about her potential stance on the issue if she were to win the presidency in 2024.

In 2019, then-Senator Kamala Harris stated that she was "open to" the possibility of expanding the Supreme Court. This statement came amid her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and faced criticism from Republicans. Harris reiterated her stance during her primary campaign, stating that "everything is on the table" to restore confidence in the Supreme Court, including court-packing.

Harris' past statements have drawn renewed attention following her recent launch of her 2024 presidential bid. While Harris' campaign has declined to comment on whether she still supports court packing, her previous remarks suggest a potential willingness to overhaul the Supreme Court.

Kamala Harris' Past Statements Suggest Openness to Supreme Court Packing

Last month, the Biden-Harris administration proposed a slate of policies to reform the Supreme Court. Included in the proposal was a plan to appoint a new justice every two years to serve an 18-year term. Legal experts have analyzed the proposal as a form of court packing.

Former Trump administration lawyer Mark Paoletta has criticized the administration's proposal, arguing that Harris is "even further to the left" than Biden on the issue of court packing. He has also highlighted a recent statement by Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who claimed that Harris' campaign supports his legislation to disqualify senior-most justices from active service.

Kamala Harris' Past Statements Suggest Openness to Supreme Court Packing

Whitehouse's legislation outlines a similar structure to the Biden-Harris proposal, appointing justices every two years and limiting the number of justices who oversee appellate jurisdiction cases. Paoletta has characterized Whitehouse's plans as "far more nefarious" than previous court packing schemes.

Prior to the latest overhaul proposal, Biden had resisted calls from other Democrats to support court packing. However, Harris' past statements and the inclusion of a court-packing provision in the Biden-Harris proposal raise questions about her potential stance on the issue in the event of a presidential victory.

Kamala Harris' Past Statements Suggest Openness to Supreme Court Packing

Democrats have criticized the Supreme Court's conservative majority, arguing that it has undermined the rights of Americans. Republicans, on the other hand, have defended the Court's independence and warned against any attempts to expand its membership.

The issue of court packing is likely to remain a contentious topic in the upcoming presidential election. Harris' past statements and the Biden-Harris administration's proposal have fueled concerns among Republicans about the potential politicization of the Supreme Court.

Kamala Harris' Past Statements Suggest Openness to Supreme Court Packing