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Alito Says He Will Stay on Supreme Court, Dismissing Retirement Speculation
En breve
Justice Samuel Alito, 76, said he has thought about retiring but decided against it and intends to remain on the Supreme Court through the current term. He said a Democratic win in November's midterm elections would not prompt him to step down, dismissing speculation that he might retire while Republicans control the Senate and White House. Alito is the second-oldest justice; Clarence Thomas, 78, is the oldest.
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Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said he has considered retiring but decided against it, and that he intends to remain on the court through the current term. In an interview with Bloomberg, Alito, 76, said a Democratic victory in next month's midterm elections would not prompt him to step down. “I intend to stick around through this term,” he said. “I made that decision many months ago.” [ 2 , 3 ]
The retirement question had been tied to election timing. CNBC reported that speculation had swirled that Alito would retire while Republicans control the Senate and the White House, a period when the chances of swiftly confirming a Republican-backed nominee would be high. Should Democrats take control of the Senate after November, they would effectively have veto power over a Supreme Court nomination, CNBC reported. The New York Times reported that Alito could face pressure if Democrats win the Senate. [ 1 , 2 ]
Alito told CBS News he believed he could still make “a valuable contribution” and decided against stepping down after the court's last term, according to CNBC. In a separate interview with Fox News Sunday, he pushed back on the speculation around him. “I've been bemused by the retirement speculation; it's not too pleasant to look up and see the vultures circling,” Alito said, adding: “I don't have a calculation for it ... I think it would be foolhardy to make a calculation [that] I'm going to serve for a certain number of additional years.” [ 1 , 2 ]
Alito, at 76, is the second-oldest justice on the court, and his status as one of its most conservative members drove the speculation about his plans ahead of the midterms, CNBC reported. Justice Clarence Thomas, 78, the court's oldest justice and a member of its conservative bloc, has also been on retirement watch, according to CNBC. [ 1 , 2 ]
The New York Times reported that Alito decided against stepping down last term, a decision he described to CBS News, and framed the matter as arising as the midterms near. Bloomberg reported the interview was conducted last week as the court prepared to open a term that will run through next June. [ 1 , 3 ]
Por qué importa
Alito's decision keeps the court's conservative 6-3 majority intact for now and removes, at least for this term, the prospect of a confirmation fight over a second Trump-era Supreme Court seat. Because Senate control after the November midterms would determine whether a Democratic caucus could effectively veto a nominee, the retirement question is tied directly to the election outcome.
Datos clave
- Justice Samuel Alito, 76, is the second-oldest justice on the Supreme Court. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Alito said he has thought about retiring but decided against it, believing he could still make a valuable contribution. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Alito said he intends to stick around through the current term and made that decision many months ago. [ 3 ]
- Alito said a Democratic Senate win in next month's midterms would not prompt him to retire. [ 3 ]
- Speculation had centered on Alito retiring while Republicans control the Senate and the White House, when confirming a Republican-backed nominee would be easier. [ 2 ]
- Democrats would effectively have veto power over a Supreme Court nomination if they take the Senate, according to CNBC. [ 2 ]
- Justice Clarence Thomas, 78, the court's oldest justice, has also been the subject of retirement speculation. [ 2 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
Aún sin aclarar
- Whether Alito will retire at any point after this term. Alito declined to set a calculation or a number of additional years; he said only that he intends to serve through the current term.
- Whether Justice Clarence Thomas will retire. Only CNBC mentions Thomas being on retirement watch, and it reports no statement from him.
- Which party will control the Senate after the November midterms. The documents describe the election as upcoming and its outcome as unknown; the consequence for any nomination is stated conditionally.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- The New York Times reports Alito told CBS News he decided against stepping down last term and could face pressure if Democrats win the Senate in November. [ 1 ]
- CNBC reports Alito said he “thought about” retiring, and quotes him from a Fox News Sunday interview saying he is bemused by the retirement speculation. [ 2 ]
- Bloomberg reports Alito saying he intends to stick around through the current term and that a Democratic Senate win will not prompt him to retire. [ 3 ]