Justice Sonia Sotomayor faces pressure to retire ahead of Trump taking office: report

Democrats are reportedly discussing whether to telephone connected Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to instantly resign successful an effort to debar her replacement perchance being made nether the President-elect Donald Trump, Politico reports.

Democrats mislaid their Senate majority to Republicans successful the 2024 election, which, according to 1 Democratic senator, prompted treatment implicit whether to initiate an contiguous replacement of Sotomayor, 70, during their remaining 2 months successful power of the chamber.

The concerns stem from the anticipation of Trump filling her spot if it happens to go vacant during his presidency – but with the erstwhile president taking bureau successful conscionable 2 months, immoderate proponents of a speedy turnaround replacement person a abbreviated model to act.

"She tin benignant of resign conditionally connected idiosyncratic being appointed to regenerate her," a Democratic legislator told Politico Playbook. "But she can’t resign conditioned connected a circumstantial person. What happens if she resigns and the nominee to regenerate her isn’t confirmed, and the adjacent president fills the vacancy?"

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King Felipe VI of Spain receives Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of The Supreme Court of the United States astatine Zarzuela Palace connected March 4, 2024 successful Madrid, Spain. (Pablo Cuadra)

The Democrat besides told the outlet that determination stay 2 apical concerns astir the idea: confirming a caller justness nether Congress' already packed docket and whether immoderate members would beryllium consenting to spell connected the grounds against Sotomayor.

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Proponents of the thought would person to warrant capable Senate votes to guarantee a speedy confirmation earlier Trump takes office, which 1 root told Playbook, could look a imaginable roadblock from members specified arsenic retiring Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., if they bash not enactment the replacement.

United States Supreme Court (front enactment L-R) Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, Associate Justice Samuel Alito, and Associate Justice Elena Kagan, (back enactment L-R) Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson airs for their authoritative representation astatine the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court gathering connected Oct. 7, 2022 successful Washington, DC. The Supreme Court has begun a caller word aft Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was officially added to the seat successful September.  (Alex Wong)

Those discussing a imaginable replacement for Sotomayor are already eyeing D.C. Circuit Judge J. Michelle Childs, who was appointed by erstwhile President Barack Obama successful 2009.

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The Democrats are besides considering focusing their remaining clip successful enactment connected the assignment of lower-court judges waiting to beryllium confirmed.