Topline
President Joe Biden on Monday lamented “extreme opinions” that he said have undermined “long-established civil rights principles and protections” in his first public comments following his decision to endorse legislation calling for Supreme Court term limits, a binding code of conduct for the court and a constitutional amendment prohibiting presidential immunity.
President Joe Biden speaks during a commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Acts … [+]
Key Facts
The president criticized specific recent rulings of the Supreme Court, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade and its recent ruling on presidential immunity, and said the court is experiencing “a crisis of ethics.”
Biden also warned against Project 2025 and the “extreme MAGA movement,” saying Supreme Court reforms are needed because extremists are “planning another onslaught attacking civil rights in America” and other issues that are “likely to come before the court in the years to come.”
Biden made the remarks in Austin, Texas, during an appearance to honor the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.
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Tangent
Biden was speaking at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin on Monday to recognize the Civil Rights Act, which was passed under Johnson—who coincidentally was also the last president to announce he would not be seeking reelection. It was the first time Biden publicly spoke since backing the Supreme Court changes Monday morning.
Chief Critic
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., criticized Biden’s reform suggestions Monday, saying in a statement the proposal “would title the balance of power” and “erode” the rule of law and the American people’s “faith in our system of justice.” Johnson said the reforms were “dead on arrival” and would not make it through the Republican-controlled House. Biden responded to Johnson’s comments in his speech Monday, saying he thinks Johnson’s “way of thinking is dead on arrival.”
Key Background
It was reported earlier this month that Biden was considering proposing changes to the Supreme Court, though they’re unlikely to pass through the divided Congress. Biden endorsed the changes Monday morning in a statement that criticized the court for overturning “long-established legal precedents protecting fundamental rights.” He suggested a more concrete, binding ethics code that would “require Justices to disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity, and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest,” and backed 18-year term limits for justices. Biden has been increasingly critical of the Supreme Court in recent months, and his most severe criticism came after the court granted former President Donald Trump partial immunity in his federal election interference case. In addition to what Biden called extreme opinions, the court has had a series of recent ethical scandals involving justices not disclosing gifts from major donors and Justice Samuel Alito displaying flags associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement at his homes.
Surprising Fact
Supreme Court term limits are not unpopular with Americans. A 2022 poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found 67% of Americans supported a proposal for term limits rather than having justices serve life terms. When split by political party, 82% of Democrats were in favor of term limits, as were 57% of Republicans.
Further Reading
Israel and Hamas. Previously, she has covered a range of topics from Donald Trump’s legal battles to Taylor Swift’s path to becoming a billionaire. She joined Forbes in April 2022 and is based in Colorado. Prior to joining Forbes, Bohannon covered local news and spent time at the Fort Collins Coloradoan and the Arizona Republic. She graduated with a degree in journalism from Creighton University and has an MA in investigative journalism from Arizona State. Follow Bohannon for continued coverage of pop culture, politics and updates on the war in Gaza.
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