House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday he wants to see “dramatic reform” to the Supreme Court, heeding a growing clamor within the Democratic party for changes.
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Speaking on “Meet the Press,” Jeffries said an overhaul could start with the creation of an ethical code of conduct for justices, but he stopped short of backing a proposal popular with some Democrats to expand the number of justices on the court.
Jeffries said that Rep. Jamie Raskin (Maryland), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, would take the lead in shaping the plans to restructure the court if the party wins back control of the chamber this year.
“What I support is dramatic reform,” Jeffries said. “The American people should have confidence in the highest court in the land.”
Democrats have proposed a host of major changes to the court in recent months, including expanding its membership and imposing term limits, in response to rulings that have taken a rightward turn.
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Jeffries did not endorse any specific proposals, but he noted his frustration with the Louisiana v. Callais decision in April, which weakened a key section of the Voting Rights Act that ensures the creation of majority-minority districts.
“The Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in ways that do the bidding of extreme MAGA Republicans who turned around in the Deep South and unleashed these Jim Crow-like tactics,” Jeffries said. “It’s inconsistent with the law and with the Constitution.”
Conservatives have dismissed the proposals from Democrats as attempts to further politicize the court over decisions they do not like.
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