Anyone hear rumors that both Alito and Thomas might be leaving the bench??

[a kennedy]

(and I realize both articles are from conservative rags, but....... just asking.)

..... Justice Clarence Thomas, a conservative appointed by George H.W. Bush, is privately seen by Trump's aides as the most likely to retire this year. While Thomas has not given any indication of doing so, the White House and Senate Republicans are quietly preparing for a possible opening, according to a White House official and two outside Trump political advisers who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversations.
"If Thomas goes, you've got a lot of people around this process ready to support Thapar - and McConnell ready to move his favorite through," said one of the outside Trump political advisers, referring to Judge Amul Thapar of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.


https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Trump-supporters-hope-to-use-conservative-anger-15379138.php

......Conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito may be eyeing retirement.

The "stronger rumor" is that Alito is "going to quit," conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt told Washington Post reporter Robert Costa on his show Wednesday.

He mentioned this in response to Costa's report that said aides to President Trump believe Clarence Thomas, a conservative justice appointed by President George H.W. Bush, is the justice most likely to retire this year.

"Justice Thomas will never quit," Hewitt added. Hewitt suggested he learned this rumor when "people begin working the refs" this time of year.

"I'm hardly a ref, but I got a column in the Washington Post, and so they start working me about, 'You know this person would be great if Alito quit,'" he said.

Alito, 70, was nominated to the high court by President George W. Bush in late 2005 to replace Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. He was confirmed the next year

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/hugh-hewitt-rumor-has-it-samuel-alito-will-retire-from-supreme-court

[Mike 03]

1. Thomas - yes. Alito -- no.

But it was just, as you say, a rumor.

[leftieNanner]

4. I agree

If Thomas is thinking of retiring, now would be the time. He doesn't want to consider having to stay on the bench for another four - eight - or more years with a Democrat in the White House and Dem control of the Senate. Alito is a little bit younger.

[Polybius]

19. Maybe I'm different, but records are important to me

Thomas can shatter the record for longest serving Justice if he wants it, providing he stays healthy. He was only 43 when he took the bench.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. Cant imagine that.

Quit now so traitor and Moscow Mitch traitor can replace them with judges so far right that simply being a minority in America will mean you are not safe?

Moscow Mitch fantasizes about executing Women who dare have sex without his permission, so who knows...Barr has the same fantasy.

[3Hotdogs]

10. What's the dif to Thomas, where he falls asleep?

[RobinA]

16. Trump Isn't Going

to replace somebody at this point unless he gets reelected. Plus, I read somewhere where you can't replace a Supreme Court justice this close to an election, it wouldn't reflect "the will of the people."

[Demsrule86]

28. You can replace a justice whenever you want if you have the presidency and the Senate.

Trying to make sure if we win long term, we can' change the court.

[flying_wahini]

3. No way in hell they could do it in 4 months.

I hope not, anyway.

[leftieNanner]

5. If Moscow Mitch wants it to happen, he would find a way

Rush the nomination process through Lindsay's Committee and cram the person in.

He would even do it during the lame duck session after November.

Evil, evil man.

[kairos12]

23. I'm usually a pessimist about these things

but I think Moscow Mitch couldn't get 50 votes before the election.

[leftieNanner]

24. Those endangered Senators might grow spines?

I guess it depends on what leverage MM has on them.

Hope you're right.

[Zoonart]

6. I thought that we did not confirm a SCOTUS judge within six months of a

Presidential election anyway... So there's that.

[Captain Zero]

20. If McConnell follows his own rule, It has to be after the inauguration

fat chance, huh?

[Laelth]

7. Time is the issue. I agree.

I think that these rumors may have had some currency earlier this year, but they’re dead in the water now.

-Laelth

[BeyondGeography]

8. Agreed, it's getting late

OTOH, they probably thought they had another term to play with until fairly recently. Now they’re faced with hanging on for four more years while the old liberal justices get to retire and be replaced by younger versions of themselves. Tough darts.

[Thunderbeast]

9. Hold their beer.

It would be the fastest confirmation in history!

Once again, need to look for Collins, Romney, and Murkowski to stop a new appointment.

Not likely since they had no remorse for stealing the Garland seat and installing Gorsuch.

[DarthDem]

11. Romney wasn't there

Can't believe I'm defending him, but he is the only Repuglican with a spine these days, so . . . .

Spot on about the other two, though.

[Thunderbeast]

13. Thanks for the correction.

My highly compensated staff of research assistants will now all be fired! (Add that sarcasm thingy here).

[DarthDem]

27. Nah, Maybe Just Dock Their Pay an Hour or So

[Amishman]

15. They could do it in a week if they wanted

They can rewrite the senate procedures as they go and cut out anything to slow them, put it to a vote, get 50+ R votes, and done.

[Music Man]

12. Getting to replace both Ginsberg and Thomas with liberal justices MIGHT make up for Merrick Garland.

I swear, blocking Merrick Garland--an appointment that was Obama's right to make--was one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in politics. I will never, ever get over it.

[RobinA]

18. I Completely Agree

Disgusting and a crime against the country.

[Hekate]

14. With Trump or Pence in office? With McConnell running the Senate? Please gods, no.

[PRETZEL]

17. Won't surprise me actually,

timing would be right since the current session just ended or just about to end.

Add that to the fears that RNC internal polling may be showing no way that they will hold the Senate come January,

Trump needs to find a way to change the subject and give him a campaign issue that his base can rally around,

Gorsuch and Kavanaugh were rammed down our throats, why not one more.

[cbdo2007]

21. They are afraid Trump is hurting their party so much they won't get another chance for 20 years.

So they want to get the last couple of ones in that they can in case the Dems sweep the next 4-5 elections due the damage Trump has done.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

22. Thomas is already one of the worst Justices on the bench

I can't imagine his replacement would be any worse but Mitch will trip over himself to fill it if he retires even if there's only a month left in Trump's Presidency, even if he needs to hold hearings on Christmas Day.

[BannonsLiver]

25. THIS is what the rumors are about

This is an effort to dog whistle to GOP voters to motivate them to turn out and vote for Dump, even if they have lost enthusiasm for Dump, because the libs will put two justices on the bench if they don’t.

Hugh Hewitt floated the idea Alito will retire. Hugh doesn’t know anything. He’s amplifying the dog whistle. This whole charade couldn’t be more obvious.

Nobody’s retiring this year.

[LonePirate]

26. This is the first phase in pressuring old conservative judges to retire before January 3.

Moscow Mitch can still fill vacancies as long as he and 45 are in power. With SCOTUS vacancies announced in June/July, the clock is ticking on Alito and Thomas to resign so Republicans can replace them with an extremist instead of Biden replacing them after January.

Also, it is an admission that right wingers expect Biden to win and Dems winning control of the Senate.

[onetexan]

30. Dems will need to rub it in Moscow Mitch's face that during an election year NO APPOINTMENTS

the same way they denied Merrick Garland.

[pwb]

29. This close to the election? Mitch won't do that?

Oh wait that is only for democratic Presidents. Sorry I was thinking fairness, my bad.

[yellowcanine]

31. This is RW trolling.