A group of Senate Democrats on Thursday introduced a bill to impose term limits on Supreme Court justices and stagger there appointments amid mounting left-wing frustrations with the court's conservative composition.
Under the plan, the Senate would appoint a new justice every two years and each would serve for 18 years, during which time they would hear every case before scaling back their participation to a limited amount of cases, according to The Hill. The nine newest justices would hear appellate cases.
Democrat Sens. Cory Booker, N.J.; Richard Blumenthal, Conn.; and Alex Padilla, Calif.; introduced the plan. The trio have been among the most vocal critics of the justices amid a string of reports focusing on their ethics disclosures or lack thereof.
Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, in particular, drew scrutiny over his longstanding friendship with GOP megadonor Harlan Crow.
"The Supreme Court is facing a crisis of legitimacy that is exacerbated by radical decisions at odds with established legal precedent, ethical lapses of sitting justices, and politicization of the confirmation process," Booker said. "This crisis has eroded faith and confidence in our nation’s highest court. Fundamental reform is necessary to address this crisis and restore trust in the institution."
The bill will likely meet with scrutiny over its constitutionality, as multiple Republicans and Supreme Court justices themselves have cast doubt over Congress's ability to regulate the judiciary.
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