Shocking absolutely no one, Supreme Court Justice Stevens has announced his plans for retirement.
Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens, the court’s oldest member and leader of its liberal bloc, said Friday he is retiring, Fox News has confirmed, giving President Obama his second high court opening to fill.
In a letter to the president, Stevens, the longest active serving member, said he has “concluded that it would be in the best interests of the court to have my successor appointed and confirmed well in advance of the commencement of the court’s next term” in October.
Stevens said he will step down when the court finishes its work for the summer in late June or early July.His retirement will come 9 days before his 90th birthday.
Ann Althouse says, “Let the games begin!” Indeed. This should be very interesting. It would be in Obama’s nature to try to appoint the most liberal, controversial candidate. Can his fellow Democrats in Congress stand another polarizing fight in an election year? Could this be the issue that prevents a recovery in the poll for Democratic candidates?
Get your popcorn folks, this should be a good one.
