Key facts
- Representative James Clyburn said his past support for Clarence Thomas's Supreme Court nomination was a mistake.
Representative James Clyburn stated his past support for Clarence Thomas's Supreme Court nomination was a mistake, citing Thomas's shift to an "extremist, hard-right" stance. Clyburn also endorsed expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices.
Clyburn's public regret over his past support for Justice Thomas and his endorsement of Supreme Court expansion signal a significant shift in Democratic thinking, potentially influencing future judicial appointments and the composition of the nation's highest court.
Senior Democratic congressman James Clyburn has declared his past support for Clarence Thomas's nomination to the US Supreme Court a mistake. Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Clyburn stated that Thomas had abandoned his principles and become an "extremist, hard-right" justice, citing decisions like the overturning of federal abortion protections and the end of affirmative action.
Clyburn recalled his 1991 confirmation hearing support for Thomas, whom he considered a "personal and professional friend" and believed would uphold civil rights and precedents like the Brown v Board of Education decision. He expressed surprise at Thomas's perceived turn against his own background and experiences, particularly in light of his upbringing by his grandfather in Georgia.
The South Carolina congressman also voiced his support for expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices, a proposal previously made by former Democratic vice-president Kamala Harris. Clyburn suggested that "a baker's dozen" would be a suitable number for the court.
However, Clyburn indicated that if Democrats regain control of the House in the upcoming November midterms, their immediate legislative priority would not be Supreme Court expansion or impeaching Donald Trump. Instead, he emphasized the need to focus on developing accessible and affordable initiatives for the country's citizens.