Democrats’ court-packing push must be rejected, more than 400,000 Americans urge

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First Liberty Institute submitted a public statement to the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States on behalf of more than 400,000 Americans, calling for the rejection of a Democrat-backed notion of adding seats to the high court.

"Partisan 'court reform' proposals threaten the civil liberties of all Americans, and the political manipulation of our judiciary threatens the integrity of our constitutional democracy," the statement said.

"An overwhelming majority of Americans reject proposals to 'reform' the Supreme Court of the United States by adding to the number of justices and by limiting judicial review," it added. "Our own nation’s history — and the experience of other countries — offer strong cautions against restructuring the judiciary."

The comment was authored by First Liberty Institute and endorsed and signed by leaders who included former Attorney General Ed Meese, the Rev. Franklin Graham, Brent William Gardner and others. The comment warns against court-reform proposals that have been debated by the commission, which was established by President Biden, and insists they are dangerous.

KELLY SHACKELFORD: SUPREME COURT-PACKING THREAT LOOMS AS JUSTICES RETURN

"Court-packing is a horrible, dangerous idea that Americans view as an act of pure political revenge, threatening our courts and the civil liberties of all Americans," said Kelly Shackelford, the statement’s author and a coalition organizer. He is also president, CEO and chief counsel of First Liberty Institute.  "An independent judiciary is an essential check on the power of the executive and legislative branches and the fleeting political whims of the culture that preserves our constitutional republic."

Since its founding, the commission, which is set to disband in November, has asked the public to weigh in on judiciary reforms that could include adding seats to the nine-member U.S. Supreme Court.

The commission is scheduled to meet Oct. 15 and a few times after that before releasing a report on its findings.

Several prominent Democrats, including Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have criticized the court for recent decisions on Arizona voting laws.

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Other Democrats have also pushed for additional seats to be added to the Supreme Court. 

Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., along with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Judiciary Committee members Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., and Hank Johnson, D-Ga., stood outside the Supreme Court in April to announce their legislation to expand the high court from nine to 13 justices.

According to Markey, the expansion of the Supreme Court from 9 justices to 13 "rights the wrongs the Republicans have done" to the court.

"We're here today because the United States Supreme Court is broken," Markey said. "It is out of balance. It needs to be fixed. Expanding the Supreme Court is equal justice and will ensure equal justice is dispensed to all Americans."