President Joe Biden is finalizing plans to endorse major changes to the Supreme Court, including proposals for legislation to establish term limits for the justices and an enforceable ethics code. The potential changes come in response to growing outrage among Biden's supporters about recent ethics scandals surrounding Justice Clarence Thomas and decisions by the new court majority. Biden previewed the shift in a Zoom call with the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Former President Donald Trump criticized the move on his social media platform, Truth Social. Biden's private remarks about his high-court plans came after a debate with Trump and the Supreme Court ruling that Trump was immune from prosecution for official acts during his first term. Biden had previously promised to create a commission to study potential changes to the court, and the commission issued a report in December 2021. Approval ratings of the Supreme Court have dropped in recent years, and Biden is trying to resuscitate his presidential campaign after a politically disastrous debate. Eight Democratic senators have co-sponsored a bill that would establish 18-year terms for Supreme Court justices. Democrats have also offered other legislation to address ethics concerns about the high court. [4c268f33]
US President Joe Biden has proposed changes to the US Supreme Court, including term limits and an enforceable ethics code for justices. He is also urging Congress to ratify a constitutional amendment limiting presidential immunity. The proposal is unlikely to be approved by Congress, but Democrats hope it will focus voters' attention on the issue. Vice-President Kamala Harris endorsed the proposal, stating that there is a 'clear crisis of confidence' facing the Supreme Court. Biden argues that the court's decisions are undermining public confidence and calls for term limits to ensure regular changes in court membership. He also wants a court code of ethics and a constitutional amendment reversing the court's recent immunity ruling. The proposal has been criticized by Republicans as a 'dangerous gambit' [0e5d199e].