June, 15 2021, 05:17pm EDT
More Than a Dozen Progressive Organizations Call on Justice Breyer to Announce Plans to Retire
On Monday, McConnell announced his intent to stop Biden from filling a Supreme Court vacancy if Republicans control the Senate.
WASHINGTON
Thirteen progressive organizations announced Tuesday a joint statement calling on Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to announce his plans to retire. The statement will run as a paid advertisement in Politico later this week.
It reads:
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer should immediately announce his intent to retire from the bench. With future control of the closely divided Senate uncertain, President Biden must have the opportunity to nominate a successor without delay and fulfill his pledge to put the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.
If Breyer were replaced by an additional ultra-conservative justice, an even further-right Supreme Court would leave our democracy and the rights of marginalized communities at even greater risk. For the good of the country, now is the time to step aside.
The statement is signed by: Battle Born Collective, Black Lives Matter, Common Defense, Demand Justice, Justice Democrats, People's Parity Project, Sunrise Movement, Take Back The Court Action Fund, Ultraviolet, We Testify, Women's March, and Working Families Party.
The announcement comes on the heels of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announcing his intention to again prevent a Democratic president from filling a Supreme Court vacancy if Republicans control the Senate.
Demand Justice Executive Director Brian Fallon said: "Anyone who still doubted that Stephen Breyer not retiring could end in disaster should pay attention to Mitch McConnell's recent comments. If Republicans regain control of the Senate before Breyer's replacement is confirmed, the Court's legitimacy and our democracy will be at even greater risk. It is good to see even more progressive leaders step forward to say that Breyer needs to step down now to protect his legacy."
A version of the ad can be viewed below.
Demand Justice is a progressive movement fighting to restore the ideological balance and legitimacy of the federal courts by advocating for court reform and vigorously opposing extreme nominees.
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