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Supreme Court Justice Breyer Breaks His Silence on Retirement Plans
PJ Media ^ | 07/16/2021 | Matt Margolis

Posted on 07/16/2021 6:12:10 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Democrats have been pinning their hopes on Justice Stephen Breyer retiring while they still have a majority in the Senate. Liberal groups have launched billboard campaigns pressuring the 82-year-old justice to call it quits, suggesting his “legacy” is at risk.

But Breyer crushed Democrats’ hopes when he told CNN in an exclusive interview that he has no plans to retire anytime soon and that he’s happy in his new role as the senior liberal on the bench. President Bill Clinton nominated Breyer in 1994.

What will ultimately determine his eventual decision to retire? “Primarily, of course, health,” Breyer explained. “Second, the court.”

Technically, the balance of the court is 6-3 in favor of conservatives. However, Chief Justice Roberts has emerged as a swing vote, and Justices Kavanaugh and Barrett have joined the liberal wing of the court in several high-profile cases lately, drawing the ire of President Trump. So if Breyer were to retire, giving Biden the opportunity to nominate a replacement, it wouldn’t change the balance of the court but could force Biden to nominate a more centrist judge should a vacancy occur in 2023 or 2024—or risk not getting to fill the vacancy at all. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that if he becomes majority leader again in 2022, he will likely block Joe Biden from filling a Supreme Court vacancy if one occurs in 2024.

This is not the first time Democrats have been disappointed by a liberal justice’s refusal to retire during politically convenient opportunities to be replaced by an ideological twin. Many urged Ruth Bader Ginsburg to retire during Obama’s presidency because of her old age and declining health. She refused, ultimately passing away in 2020, allowing President Trump to nominate her replacement.

(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: retirement; scotus; stephenbreyer; supremecourt
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1 posted on 07/16/2021 6:12:10 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s a 2-3-4 court.
2 conservatives, 3 swingers and 4 leftists.


2 posted on 07/16/2021 6:14:32 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents)(Know Islam, No Peace - No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: SeekAndFind

Imagine how liberal his replacement will be under Biden. Imagine an AOC like judge.


3 posted on 07/16/2021 6:15:01 PM PDT by aimhigh (THIS is His commandment . . . . 1 John 3:23)
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To: Lurkinanloomin

RE: 4 leftists.

Sotomayor, Kagan, Breyer and ????


4 posted on 07/16/2021 6:18:03 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Roberts.


5 posted on 07/16/2021 6:19:50 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents)(Know Islam, No Peace - No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: SeekAndFind

I have no doubt in my gut that Scalia was murdered to make room for a liberal justice which the left didn’t get. At least the turtle did one thing right in foiling their plans - but I would not put it past the evil left to call upon She-who-must-not-be-named’ Suicide Hotline. These klowns are desperate.


6 posted on 07/16/2021 6:20:02 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx D)
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To: SeekAndFind
Justices Kavanaugh and Barrett have joined the liberal wing of the court in several high-profile cases lately

It just says so much that President Trump went looking for the most conservative judges he could find, and against all odds, actually got these 2 named to the bench. And it turns out that his advisors managed to give him 2 Liberals. Deep State is deep.

7 posted on 07/16/2021 6:21:34 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: SeekAndFind

Technically he court IS NOT IN FAVOR of conservatives.

Hardly anything they have done since 2020 is anything a conservative agrees with.


8 posted on 07/16/2021 6:22:04 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Lurkinanloomin

I hope 47th president Donald Trump does better next time.


9 posted on 07/16/2021 6:22:15 PM PDT by Celerity
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To: Pilgrim's Progress

“I have no doubt in my gut that Scalia was murdered to make room for a liberal justice”

I think that’s been almost proven by the fact that Chelsea Clinton sent a happy email to PIAPS that now they could get a liberal in there. (She didn’t say, “liberal”. She mentioned guns or abortion — can’t recall which now.) The email was time stamped before his death was announced.


10 posted on 07/16/2021 6:22:17 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam (While the foundations are being destroyed, what are the righteous doing?)
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To: ClearCase_guy

RE: Justices Kavanaugh and Barrett have joined the liberal wing of the court in several high-profile cases lately

Can you cite a few cases.


11 posted on 07/16/2021 6:22:42 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: Lurkinanloomin

RE: Roberts

I would put him at swing ... barely.

It would depend on which side of the bed he wakes up in the morning but he is not the Sotomayor or Ginsburg kind of lefty.


12 posted on 07/16/2021 6:24:05 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: MayflowerMadam

Yea, I was shocked it didn’t say, “Good job, Mom!”


13 posted on 07/16/2021 6:25:32 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx D)
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To: SeekAndFind

“...but could force Biden to nominate a more centrist judge should a vacancy occur in 2023 or 2024.”

Appeals court judge Merrick Garland was labled a “centrist judge”. So was district judge Emmit G. Sullivan.

Democrat judges are about as “centrist” as moderate Democrat congressmen.


14 posted on 07/16/2021 6:26:33 PM PDT by Mr. N. Wolfe
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To: SeekAndFind

I think it depends on which set of pictures they show Roberts before decision time . . .


15 posted on 07/16/2021 6:27:22 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx D)
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To: SeekAndFind
but he is not the Sotomayor or Ginsburg kind of lefty.

No ... he's much sneakier ...
16 posted on 07/16/2021 6:29:19 PM PDT by bankwalker (groupthink kills ...)
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To: ClearCase_guy

It just says so much that President Trump went looking for the most conservative judges he could find, and against all odds, actually got these 2 named to the bench. And it turns out that his advisors managed to give him 2 Liberals.


I think Trump didn’t override McGahn to nominate Kavanaugh. He went with McGahn’s first choice. The picture of Kavanaugh hugging Karl Rove should have beeen enough to disqualify him.


17 posted on 07/16/2021 6:30:26 PM PDT by TTFX ( )
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To: SeekAndFind

He upholds the big ones like Obamacare and the election rulings late last year put him in a real bad place IMHO.


18 posted on 07/16/2021 6:30:27 PM PDT by Nextrush (FREEDOM IS EVERYBODYS BUSINESS, REMEMBER PASTOR NIEMOLLER)
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To: SeekAndFind

His decision is primarily based upon his health, so it won’t surprise me if he dies suddenly from a heart attack (courtesy of the Deep State).


19 posted on 07/16/2021 6:30:32 PM PDT by Qui is (Biden spews and Harris swallows)
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To: SeekAndFind

If Breyer retires, and the Turtle holds out, the Commies lose a justice, and it’s a majority ‘conservative’ court. I don’t see a downside.


20 posted on 07/16/2021 7:03:19 PM PDT by backwoods-engineer (But what do I know? I'm just a backwoods engineer.)
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