Biden Says He’ll Announce Position On Court-Packing Before Election
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Thursday that he will offer a clear position on court-packing before Election Day, after weeks of dodging questions about whether he supports expanding the Supreme Court in response to conservatives fast-tracking a nominee’s confirmation process.
The Democratic presidential nominee spoke in Philadelphia at a town hall-type event hosted by ABC, which competed with President Donald Trump’s simultaneous town hall hosted by NBC from Miami after their second presidential debate, initially scheduled for Thursday, got canceled after Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
“I have not been a fan of court-packing ― it depends on how this turns out, not how he wins but how it’s handled,” Biden told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, adding that voters “have a right to know where I stand.” It should be noted that more than 17 million Americans have already voted, and more will continue to cast their ballots before Election Day as the coronavirus pandemic has increased interest in advance voting.
.@GStephanopoulos on court packing: “Don’t voters have a right to know where you stand?”
Biden: Voters will know "before they vote."
GS: “So you’ll come out with a clear position before Election Day?”
Biden: “Yes, depending on how [GOP] handle this.” https://t.co/JEyTOkB6qkpic.twitter.com/RHnfjixsHU— ABC News (@ABC) October 16, 2020
“Court-packing” is a term for expanding the number of judges or justices on a court, and the tactic has gained momentum among some Democrats as Trump and Senate Republicans rush to confirm the president’s third Supreme Court nominee before Election Day.
Biden said that “there’s a number of things” to consider before committing to a position on court-packing ― such as how Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court confirmation goes on the Senate floor next week. The Senate Judiciary Committee spent this week questioning Barrett on issues that Democrats fear she may rule...
