With Donald Trump back in the White House come January, Democrats are beginning to worry about the prospect of the Republican being able to fill another Supreme Court vacancy.
Once again, they are reportedly considering whether to push 70-year-old Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a diabetic, off the bench.
That round of the conversation was met with accusations of ableism and even racism: How dare they suggest pushing the first Latina justice — a solid progressive vote — off the bench?
But this time, with the reality of an impending Trump presidency, those objections have fallen by the wayside. And some of those who called for Sotomayor to step down earlier feel the conversation has changed.
“I wish it were different, but I think that Democrats need to do a better job of holding on to the fear that they now feel the next time they are in a position of power, because we can’t shut down those conversations,” MOLLY COLEMAN, the executive director of the People’s Parity Project, told us late last night. (POLITICO Playbook)
Dems agonize over Sotomayor
— POLITICO Playbook (@playbookdc) November 8, 2024
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In the spring, progressives began calling for her to step down over her concerns about her age and health, prompting pushback from advocates and the White House.
“When it comes to those types of decisions, those are personal decisions, regardless of if it’s Justice Sotomayor or any other justice on the bench," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the time. "They should be given the space and freedom to make that decision."