Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer Dismisses Retirement Calls, Says Politics Just One Of ‘Many Factors’ - Forbes | Canada News Media
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Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer Dismisses Retirement Calls, Says Politics Just One Of ‘Many Factors’ – Forbes

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3 years ago

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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer downplayed Democratic calls that he should step down now to ensure President Joe Biden can appoint a liberal successor, saying Sunday that while he understands their argument it’s only one of “many, many considerations” behind his decision to retire.

Key Facts

Upon being shown an interview of late Justice Antonin Scalia saying he doesn’t want to be replaced by a justice who tries to “[undo] everything I’ve tried to do,” Breyer said on Fox News Sunday he “see[s] the point” behind not wanting a conservative president to name his successor.

The left-leaning Breyer, 83, said “probably in the background there’s something there” to that consideration, gesturing to his mind, but stressed there are “many, many considerations” behind his retirement, including the role of the court and “institutional considerations.”

Asked about calls by Democratic politicians for Breyer to retire, the justice said they are “entitled to their opinion” and “understand the political world much better than I…and there we are.”

When asked why he didn’t retire at the end of this term, as many Democrats hoped he would, Breyer said only he didn’t retire “because I decided on balance I wouldn’t retire.”

Breyer also dismissed questions regarding former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refusing to confirm Merrick Garland to the court ahead of the 2016 election but letting the Senate confirm Justice Amy Coney Barrett just before the 2020 election, likening the question to “asking for the recipe to chicken a la king from the point of view of the chicken.”

The justice chalked up McConnell’s decision to “the political environment,” and said he believes that if enough of the public want that reality to change or be modified, “it will be.”

Crucial Quote

“I don’t intend to die on the court, I don’t think I’ll be there forever,” Breyer said.

Tangent

Breyer was also asked about potential reforms to the Supreme Court, which many progressives have pushed for in order to combat the high court’s conservative tilt and President Joe Biden has convened a commission to study. While Breyer pushed back against the idea of adding justices to the court, the justice signaled more openness to term limits, as some Democrats in Congress have introduced a bill to do. “I think you could do that,” Breyer said. “It should be a very long term, because you don’t want the judge who’s holding that term to start thinking about his next job. But it would make life easier for me.”

Key Background

Numerous Democrats have pushed for Breyer’s retirement from the Supreme Court in order to ensure his replacement can be confirmed while the party controls both the White House and Congress. The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg declined to step down during Barack Obama’s presidency and was ultimately replaced by Trump nominee Barrett, and McConnell has suggested if the GOP retakes the Senate, he will likely be unwilling to confirm a Biden nominee to the court even if it’s a year before the 2024 election. The calls for Breyer’s retirement and sweeping reforms to the court have intensified in recent days after the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to uphold Texas’ near-total ban on abortion, arguing in a September 1 ruling it was too soon to take action against the law despite its extreme restrictions on the procedure. “If [Breyer is] going to retire, it should be sooner rather than later,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said last week on CNN, noting if the court’s abortion decision “doesn’t cry out for that, I don’t know what does.”

Further Reading

18 Legal Scholars Urge Justice Breyer To Retire: ‘Best For The Country’ (Forbes)

Supreme Court Refuses To Strike Down Texas Abortion Ban (Forbes)

McConnell: Biden Won’t Get Supreme Court Pick In 2024 If GOP Wins Back Senate (Forbes)

Stephen Breyer Has No Plan To Retire Yet From Supreme Court, He Says (Forbes)

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A look at Susan Holt, Liberal premier-designate of New Brunswick

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October 21, 2024

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FREDERICTON – A look at Susan Holt, premier-designate and leader of the New Brunswick Liberal party.

Born: April 22, 1977.

Early years: Raised in Fredericton, she attended Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., and then spent a year in Toronto before moving abroad for three years, spending time in Australia and India.

Education: Earned a bachelor of arts in economics and a bachelor of science in chemistry from Queen’s University.

Family: Lives in Fredericton with her husband, Jon Holt, and three young daughters.

Hobbies: Running, visiting the farmers market in Fredericton with her family every Saturday.

Before politics: CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, CEO of the New Brunswick Business Council, civil servant, business lobbyist, advocate, consultant and executive with an IT service company that trains and employs Indigenous people.

Politics: Worked as an adviser to former Liberal premier Brian Gallant. Won the leadership of the provincial Liberal party in August 2022 and was elected to the legislature in an April 2023 byelection.

Quote: “We don’t take it lightly that you have put your trust in myself and my team, and you have hope for a brighter future. But that hope I know is short-lived and it will be on us to deliver authentically, on the ground, and openly and transparently.” — Susan Holt, in her speech to supporters in Fredericton after the Liberals won a majority government on Oct. 21, 2024.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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National revenue minister to leave federal politics, run for Sherbrooke mayor

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9 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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SHERBROOKE, Que. – National Revenue Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau will run for mayor of Sherbrooke, Que., in the municipal elections slated for next fall.

The Liberal MP for the Quebec riding of Compton-Stanstead confirmed Monday morning that she will complete her current term in Ottawa, but will not seek re-election.

Bibeau, who has been national revenue minister since July 2023, was first elected in 2015 and has since spent time as minister of agriculture, international development and la Francophonie.

Bibeau said her campaign has not officially begun and she will continue to focus on her work as an MP, but she plans to run as an independent candidate to replace outgoing Mayor Évelyne Beaudin, who has already confirmed she will not seek re-election.

Quebec’s municipal elections are scheduled for Nov. 2, 2025, while the next federal election must take place no later than Oct. 20, though the minority Liberal government could fall before then.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to shuffle his cabinet soon to replace Bibeau and three other ministers who have informed him they don’t plan to run in the next election.

Bibeau’s spouse, Bernard Sévigny, was mayor of Sherbrooke from 2009 to 2017.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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N.S. government sets up code of conduct for province’s municipal politicians

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11 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government has released a code of conduct for municipal politicians across the province.

The code includes 40 guidelines under 14 categories, covering topics from gifts and benefits, to how officials should handle confidential information.

Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr says a code ensuring elected municipal officials have clear guidance on conduct and behaviour is long overdue.

The code was originally requested by the provinces’ municipalities and villages, and it was developed based on recommendations of a working group established in January 2022.

The working group recommended a code that applied across the province, with processes for investigating complaints and imposing sanctions.

The provincial government says councils and village commissions must adopt the code of conduct by Dec. 19.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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