News

First Liberty & National Coalition of Nearly Half-Million Americans Reject Radical Court-Packing

by First Liberty Institute • 4 min read

This week, nearly a half-million Americans joined First Liberty and a diverse, national coalition of leaders in delivering a joint statement to President Biden’s Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Our statement warns the Commission that the alleged court “reform” proposals it is debating are dangerous, in particular the plan to pack the Supreme Court with a slate of liberal, activist justices—a scheme that would do severe damage to judicial independence, religious liberty and other constitutional freedoms.

Together with hundreds of thousands of like-minded patriots who made their voices heard, a vast array of organizations and allies also stepped up to defend the priceless heritage of America’s Supreme Court and judicial system, including:

• Edwin Meese, Former U.S. Attorney General
• Franklin Graham, President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse & the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
• James Dobson
• Tony Perkins, President of Family Research Council
• David and Tim Barton of WallBuilders
• Star Parker, President of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education
• The Heritage Foundation
• American Family Association
• Promise Keepers
• Family Policy Alliance
• Americans United for Life
• American Association of Christian Schools
• Christian Employers Alliance

President Joe Biden formed the Commission through executive order earlier this year and requested public comment on potential “reforms” to the judiciary, including adding seats to the Supreme Court.

The Commission was allegedly formed to “study” various court reforms and then submit a report to the President. However, it’s been clear from the start and from its several meetings that this “bipartisan” and “impartial” commission is nothing more than a vehicle to overthrow the Supreme Court and turn it into a puppet extension of whoever holds political power.

On October 15^th, the Commission will hold its next session, when it is expected to continue examining not only the possibility of increasing the size of the Court, but also other potentially harmful “reforms,” such as eradicating judicial review—one of the most important checks to stop the abuse of executive and legislative power. Any comments provided by October 11^th—including the statement we submitted this week—will be given to the Commission members in advance of that critical meeting.

As the Commission prepares for its upcoming meeting, there’s one major point we made abundantly clear: Americans overwhelmingly reject radical court-packing.

Nationwide surveys and polling indicate that Americans oppose expanding the size of the Court and other far-reaching changes to the judiciary. Similar survey data also suggests that Americans continue to respect our nation’s courts and their importance in the Constitution as a safeguard of our civil liberties:

• Sixty-four percent (64%) of Americans oppose adding more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Americans overwhelmingly (69%) oppose amending the U.S. Constitution to reduce the independence and authority of the Supreme Court.
• Almost three-quarters (74%) reject any proposal to expand the membership of the Supreme Court and choose panels of justices by lottery selection.
• Sixty-one percent (61%) reject any constitutional change to the structure of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Although we’ve submitted our statement, there’s still much work ahead, as the Commission is expected to release its report and “reform” recommendations to the President soon—possibly before the end of October.

If we’re to save the Supreme Court and the independence of our judiciary, we must continue to educate millions more Americans and expose the lies of those who want to fill the courts with partisan judges who will rubber stamp their radically progressive political agenda.

Will you join First Liberty and donate today to help us stop this brazen power-grab that threatens our freedoms?