Senator Bernie Sanders does not back call for Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor to step down

November 13, 2024 TruthUSA

Some Democrats want Justice Sotomayor to pave the way for a younger liberal justice who could have a long tenure on the court.

Senator Bernie Sanders dismissed the idea of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, 70, stepping down to allow President Joe Biden to appoint a younger replacement before the end of his term. Sanders, an independent from Vermont who aligns with Senate Democrats, made the statement on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Nov. 10, marking the first time a U.S. senator publicly discussed the topic since President-elect Donald Trump’s recent electoral win. With Democrats losing their Senate majority, the decision on confirming justices will shift when the new Congress convenes in January.

During the interview, moderator Kristen Welker asked Sanders if Sotomayor, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009, should resign to make way for a younger liberal justice in the final weeks of the current administration.

While acknowledging some Democratic senators discussing the option of asking Sotomayor to step down, Sanders disagreed, deeming it an unsound approach without further elaboration.

Earlier this year, liberals initiated a campaign pressuring Justice Sotomayor to retire so Biden could nominate a younger liberal replacement before the election.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) suggested in April that Sotomayor should contemplate retiring. He emphasized that justices need to consider their health, energy levels, and the importance of ensuring that the court reflects the diversity of America. Blumenthal urged for a pragmatic stance, indicating that nobody is irreplaceable.

Activists successfully pushed Justice Stephen Breyer, aged 86, to retire in June 2022, enabling Biden to nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson, aged 54, as his successor.

Though quiet in recent months, the campaign to pressure Sotomayor gained traction following Trump’s victory, raising concerns among Democrats about a potentially augmented conservative majority on the Supreme Court during his second term.

In April, Molly Coleman, executive director of the People’s Parity Project, expressed her desire for Sotomayor to step down, emphasizing the need for decisions that benefit the country’s future rather than personal considerations.

Trump’s appointment of Amy Coney Barrett in place of Ruth Bader Ginsburg transformed the court’s dynamics, paving the way for potential shifts in landmark rulings such as Roe v. Wade.

Sotomayor, now 70 and in good health, disclosed her battle with Type I diabetes since childhood.

Records obtained by Fix The Court revealed that Sotomayor traveled with a medic and had experienced health incidents in the past, including a low blood sugar episode treated by paramedics at her home in January 2018.

The Epoch Times reached out to Sotomayor for a statement but had not received a response by the time of publication.

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