There’s been a ton of retirement talk for SCOTUS Justices. A decision has been reached.
And this U.S. Supreme Court Justice retirement news has completely surprised Donald Trump.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor Likely to Stay on the Supreme Court Amid Pressure and Speculation
Despite increasing speculation within liberal legal circles and discussions among some Democratic senators about the possibility of urging Justice Sonia Sotomayor to resign, sources close to the senior liberal justice have indicated she is not expected to step down during the current term, particularly in light of the 2024 election results.
At 70-years-old, Sotomayor is in good health and remains an active and engaged participant in the Supreme Court’s work. Her diabetes, which she has managed since childhood, continues to be well-controlled, and she is still well below the typical retirement age of 75 for Supreme Court justices.
The notion of justices retiring or stepping down is complicated by their lifetime appointments, which are designed to shield them from political pressures. Public calls for justices to retire often raise concerns about politicizing the Court further, a risk that many analysts believe would have long-term consequences for its credibility and impartiality.
Sotomayor, nominated to the Court by President Barack Obama, addressed some of the emotional toll of her work during a speech at Harvard University in May. Reflecting on the challenges of her tenure, she shared, “every loss truly traumatizes me in my stomach and in my heart,” but she also emphasized her resilience, stating, “you have to own it. You have to accept it. You have to shed the tears, and then you have to wipe them and get up and fight some more.”
While Sotomayor’s tenure on the Court continues, the political climate has been shaped by the unexpected passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020. Ginsburg’s death from liver cancer at 87 gave then-President Donald Trump the opportunity to nominate a third justice to the Court, cementing a conservative majority. Many liberals still mourn Ginsburg’s decision to remain on the Court despite her declining health, with some arguing she might have been able to secure her replacement under a Democratic president had she retired earlier.
The political calculations surrounding the idea of pressuring Sotomayor to step aside are fraught with risk. A forced resignation could backfire politically, and with the 2024 election fast approaching, any attempt to confirm a new justice before President Trump’s potential second inauguration in January 2025 would likely prove logistically impossible.
Acknowledging these complexities, some prominent Democratic figures have begun to reconsider the practicality of pushing for Sotomayor’s resignation. On NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Senator Bernie Sanders weighed in, saying that he didn’t think it was a “sensible approach” to pressure Sotomayor to retire.
Bernie Sanders is asked if 70 year old Sonia Sotomayor should step down so Biden can appoint a younger person to the Supreme Court.
His answer is simple.pic.twitter.com/4iSRj81f3q
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) November 10, 2024
Given the news, it appears unlikely that Sotomayor will step down in the midst of a contentious political period, despite growing pressure from some factions within the Democratic Party.
No News On U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas
After Donald Trump won his re-election, conservatives immediately started considering whether U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas should step aside so that a younger conservative Justice could be added to the bench as soon as possible.
There’s also talks of conservative Justice Samuel Alito being replaced as well. Though there appears to be no news about either of these gentlement retiring just yet.
This would cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the bench that would be next to impossible to change for decades unless the Democrats are successful in packing the court at some point in upcoming election cycles. For now though, the Democrats will remain powerless on this issue while Donald Trump and the Republicans control the White House and Congress.
Most conservatives agree that when Donald Trump is inaugurated, it’s time for Alito and Thomas to retire because it’s not often that Republicans have been able to control all of Congress like they will for at least two years. The Senate being the most important part of confirming U.S. Supreme Court Justices.
Now it’s time for Clarence Thomas and Alito to retire so Trump can appoint two young right wing justices. Who knows when the senate and president will be Republican again
— Jared Rabel (@JradRabel) November 6, 2024
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
