Leaders in Washington are preparing for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s imminent retirement, according to sources.
The Daily Caller reports:
“Gingerly preparations are underway, not just for Ginsburg but for any SCOTUS retirement,” a source directly involved in the Supreme Court nominations of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh told TheDC.
Another source emphasized to TheDC that the quiet preparations are all that is realistically needed in case of a vacancy on the court because much of the required infrastructure already exists within the White House.
Both sources said that the White House counsel’s office and its conservative legal allies have now been through two successful confirmation processes, and that they have developed an intimate and professional feel for how to run the process again, if necessary.
Trump is particularly proud of his handling of the Gorsuch and Kavanaugh nominations, a source close to the White House said, noting that the president views proper handling of the Supreme Court as a necessary part of maintaining the support of his voters.
If Ginsburg were to vacate the bench, through retirement or death, before 2020, her replacement would almost certainly shift the court dramatically to the right—giving conservatives a 6-3 majority.
That type of large majority could lead to sweeping court cases, changing the game on hot-button issues like abortion, gun rights, and affirmative action.