Leahy: Allow retired justices to sit on SCOTUS

Washington Times - Water Cooler ^ | 9/29/10 | Kerry Picket

[paltz]

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, Vermont Democrat, has proposed a bill that would allow for retired Supreme Court Justices to sit on the court by designation in cases where the active justice has recused. READ THE BILL

Under the proposed bill, the active justices of the Supreme Court would be permitted to vote to designate a retired Supreme Court justice in a particular case in which one or more Justices have recused themselves and allow the court to preempt potential 4:4 split decisions, in which the decision of a lower court stands.

[NCC-1701]

Too bad the Joker didn't finish the job.

[Constitution Day]

Not just no, HELL NO!!

[Vigilanteman]

I don't have an exact count, but I'm willing to bet that judges are just about as likely to leave the supreme court in a coffin as by retirement.

Of those who do retire, few do so while they are still able to function on the bench. Sandra Day O'Connor is the only one in recent memory who voluntarily retired while she was still mentally functional. And even that's debatable.

[SoldierDad]

Um, let's see. How can I delicately put this? DROP DEAD LEAHY - LEAVE OUR CONSTITUTION ALONE!!!

Is that subtle enough?

[6ppc]

allow for retired Supreme Court Justices to sit on the court by designation in cases where the active justice has recused.

uhhhhh...NO!

[paul51]

NOPE.

[T-Bird45]

I’m another vote for NFW!

By the time most of the Justices retire, they are dried husks of human form with other concerns for the time they have remaining. I would not care to impose on that time.

[Carley]

FDR tried to pack the Court.

You knew this was coming when O went after the Court at the SOTU.

[chesley]

ditto that!

[skr]

Not on Second Amendment cases, thank you.

[muawiyah]

Leahy is personally responsible for the murder of over 1/2 million Vietnamese human beings.

He doesn't really care.

[StAnDeliver]

Call his bluff! Have McConnell put it to a vote and call the roll right now and embarass Leahy.

Then have McConnell call the roll on a vote for Leahy's censure.

[Zack Attack]

And maybe they can ‘designate’ a former president to sit in the oval office when the president is ill or out of the country too. good grief.

[antiRepublicrat]

Uh, what about a little document called THE CONSTITUTION?

Under the Constitution, Congress has complete power to determine the composition of the Supreme Court.

[hoosiermama]

NO!

[Conscience of a Conservative]

How is this unconstitutional?

[onyx]

Oh yeah!

[Huck]

The Constitution doesn’t prevent this.

[onyx]

Leahy is a disgrace, but it’s likely some smart-ass intern thought of this scheme. Leahy strikes me as an old drunken dolt.

[BamaDi]

Could this idiot not be anymore transparent........I wish with my heart and soul that he would be defeated....no that will never happen but this a$$hole hates this country and the Constitution........