Biden decries 'extremism' on Supreme Court, details plan for term limits, ethics code for justices
President Joe Biden decried “extremism” that he says has undermined public confidence in the the U.S. Supreme Court, as he called on Congress to quickly establish term limits and an enforceable ethics code for the court’s nine justices
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that “extremism” on the U.S. Supreme Court is undermining public confidence in the institution and called on Congress to quickly establish term limits and an enforceable ethics code for the court's nine justices. He also called on lawmakers to ratify a constitutional amendment limiting presidential immunity.
Biden, who has less than six months left in his presidency, detailed the contours of his court proposal in an address at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, where he was marking the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. His calls for dramatic changes in the court have little chance of being approved by a closely divided Congress with 99 days to go before Election Day.
Still, Democrats hope it'll help focus voters as they consider their choices in a tight election. The likely Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, who has sought to frame her race against Republican ex-President Donald Trump as “a choice between freedom and chaos," quickly endorsed the Biden proposal.
“Extremism is undermining the public confidence in the court’s decisions,” Biden said. He added, “We can and must prevent abuse of presidential power and restore faith in the Supreme Court.”
