Sotomayor rejects push to retire before Trump takes office

Nov 11, 2024

Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has no plans to retire despite calls from some progressives urging her to step down before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, according to sources close to her. At 70, Sotomayor remains in good health and is fully engaged in her role on the court.

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As the most senior liberal voice on a conservative-majority Supreme Court, Sotomayor reportedly dismissed suggestions of stepping aside to allow President Joe Biden to nominate a successor.

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“She’s in great health, and the court needs her now more than ever,” a close associate said.

Speculation about her future comes amid concerns from Democrats about a repeat of late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s decision not to retire during President Barack Obama’s administration, a choice that ultimately allowed then-President Donald Trump to further shift the ideological balance of the court.

The biggest difference is age. Ginsburg was 80 in 2013 and Sotomayor is 70.

However, with Republicans set to take control of the Senate in January, it is unlikely there would be sufficient time to confirm a replacement.

Sotomayor, who has lived with type 1 diabetes since childhood, continues to be an active and vocal participant in the court’s proceedings. She has frequently spoken publicly about the emotional challenges of being in the minority on the court. Speaking at Harvard in May, Sotomayor admitted to moments of “deep sadness” over court decisions but emphasized the importance of resilience, saying she chooses to “get up and fight some more.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., also weighed in, calling the idea of pressuring Sotomayor to retire “not sensible” during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Tags: Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, SCOTUS, Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court, U.S. Department of Justice

[craig nigrelli]

img: 111124 sonia sotomayor

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR ISN’T STEPPING DOWN, DESPITE CALLS FROM SOME PROGRESSIVES FOR HER TO RETIRE BEFORE PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP TAKES OFFICE. AT 70 YEARS OLD, SOURCES CLOSE TO HER TELLING MEDIA OUTLETS SHE’S IN GREAT HEALTH AND REMAINS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO HER WORK ON THE COURT.

SOTOMAYOR, THE MOST SENIOR LIBERAL VOICE ON THE CONSERVATIVE-MAJORITY SUPREME COURT, HAS DISMISSED THE NOTION OF STEPPING ASIDE TO ALLOW PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO APPOINT HER SUCCESSOR.

SOME DEMOCRATS WORRY ABOUT A REPEAT OF JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG’S DECISION NOT TO RETIRE UNDER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, WHICH ALLOWED THEN-PRESIDENT TRUMP TO RESHAPE THE COURT.

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS AGE. GINSBURG WAS 80 IN 2013 AND SOTOMAYOR IS 70.

BUT PUSHING SOTOMAYOR TO STEP ASIDE FACES POLITICAL AND LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES. WITH REPUBLICANS SET TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE SENATE IN JANUARY, THERE LIKELY ISN’T ENOUGH TIME FOR PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO NOMINATE AND CONFIRM A REPLACEMENT.

SOTOMAYOR, WHO HAS LIVED WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES SINCE CHILDHOOD, SHOWS NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN. SHE’S A VOCAL PRESENCE DURING COURT ARGUMENTS AND REMAINS ACTIVE AT PUBLIC EVENTS. SPEAKING AT HARVARD IN MAY, SHE ADMITTED TO MOMENTS OF “DEEP SADNESS” OVER COURT DECISIONS BUT SAID SHE ALWAYS CHOOSES TO “GET UP AND FIGHT SOME MORE.”

ON NBC’S MEET THE PRESS, SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS DISMISSED THE IDEA OF PRESSURING SOTOMAYOR TO STEP DOWN, CALLING IT “NOT SENSIBLE.”

FOR NOW, JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR IS HOLDING HER GROUND, CONTINUING HER ROLE AS A LEADING LIBERAL VOICE ON THE SUPREME COURT.

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