WASHINGTON (WAVY) — West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito says Democrats are creating a plan to increase the number of justices sitting on the Supreme Court.
“We have nine justices. We’ve had them for over 150 years. They’ve worked very well, I think, through liberal-leaning and conservative-leaning courts,” Capito said.
Capito and other Senate Republicans say packing the court now could set off a chain reaction.
“Let’s say they pack the court, then the next time Republicans get in, we repack the court. I mean, I just think we’re going down the wrong road here. They are going down the wrong road,” Capito said.
Democrats say they are only bringing up the idea, because Republicans are rushing to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
“If they keep their promise and let the American public decide, the composition of the court question doesn’t even come up,” Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, said.
Kaine says Republicans are violating their commitment not to vote a Supreme Court nominee in during an election year.
“The conversation we’re having is ‘Please follow, please follow your promise.’ The only reason the court composition question comes up is people start to say ‘well what if the Republicans break their promise?'” Kaine said.
Kaine says whatever happens next depends on Barrett’s final confirmation.
