Former Vice President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he won’t give an answer on court packing until at least 180 days after he becomes president and he receives a recommendation from a “bipartisan” commission on changing the Supreme Court.
Biden made the announcement during an interview with “60 Minutes,” saying the commission of bipartisan constitutional scholars would investigate various means of changing the court system, which Biden says has become a political football.
“If elected, what I will do is I’ll put together a national commission – a bipartisan commission … and I will ask them to, over 180 days, come back to me with recommendations as to how to reform the court system … it’s not about court packing,” he said. “There’s a number of alternatives that go well beyond court packing.”
WATCH: In an interview with Joe Biden for @60Minutes, @CBSEveningNews‘ @NorahODonnell pressed Biden on his position on so-called “court packing.” It’s a controversial proposal that would add justices to the Supreme Court, from its current nine.
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Biden has for weeks refused to answer questions about his position on court packing, though he said in a townhall last Thursday that he would give voters his view on the issue before the election. (RELATED: Schumer Says Democrats Will Try To Block Barrett Confirmation By Not Giving Republicans Quorum)
Democrats have threatened Republicans that “nothing is off the table” should Republicans confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett and Democrats take control of the Senate and presidency after the election. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has scheduled Barrett’s confirmation for Monday, October 26.
“We will be voting to confirm Justice-to-be Barrett next Monday and I think that will be another signature accomplishment in our effort to put on the courts, the federal courts, men and women who believe in a quaint notion that the job of a judge is to actually follow the law,” McConnell said during a Wednesday press conference after Republicans’ weekly Senate lunch.