Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) (Photo by Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:13 PM PT – Sunday, April 18, 2021
Republican lawmakers said Democrat attempts to pack the Supreme Court will be so unpopular that it will ultimately help the GOP party in the 2022 midterm elections.
This week, Democrats introduced controversial legislation that would expand the Supreme Court from nine to 13 seats. In response, dozens of Republicans spoke out and took to social media to call the legislation an “assault” on judicial independence.
Friday, Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) said it will be “pretty easy” to get Democrats on the record on court packing. Then, when Democrats attempt to pass the legislation through reconciliation, Republicans will have an advantage when offering up amendments.
Scott said Democrats are only concerned with following their party leaders.
“Whatever Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) tells them to do — I mean the Senate Democrats, all they do is: ‘Chuck what do you want us to do? We’ll vote that way,’” Scott stated. “I mean, look at the issues. These Democrats just don’t represent their states.”
Scott added, he believes Republicans will flip multiple House seats because of Democrats’ mistakes.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) made similar claims, saying Democrats are already preparing to lose the House in 2022, hence packing the court is an attempt to maintain power and control.
Packing the court goes against everything we believe as Americans.
But make no mistake: this is about power and control. Democrats want to dismantle our institutions, including the courts, to enact their socialist agenda. pic.twitter.com/91tpZ9UZEN
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) April 15, 2021
“It’s taking over an entire branch of government, the judicial system, and it’s packing them,” McCarthy said. “It goes against everything we believe in as Americans. They know they’re going to lose the House. That’s why they’re going so far to try the judicial and take it back over.”
McCarthy noted, even Joe Biden previously said he was opposed to expanding the court.
Republicans said many moderate Democrats are facing tough elections in 2022 and could lose voters for backing court expansion legislation.
