MS Governor Reeves signs letter to President opposing SCOTUS packing

Twenty Republican Governors sign letter to President Biden.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves along with 19 other Republican Governors issued a joint letter to President Joe Biden opposing any efforts to pack the U.S. Supreme Court. The Governors highlight how any attempt to increase the number of Justices on the court for partisan gain will manipulate the Court’s decisions.

“As Governors, we oppose any attempt to increase the number of Justices on the Supreme Court of the United States. In short, “court packing”—or increasing the number of Justices to manipulate the Court’s decisions—would be unprecedented, unproductive, and unpredictable,” the group writes. “The highest court in our land has seated nine justices for more than 150 years and has persisted throughout our nation’s history, dispensing justice even when faced with landmark, controversial decisions.”

Signatories to the letter include Governors Kay Ivey (AL), Doug Ducey (AZ), Ron DeSantis (FL), Brian Kemp (GA), Brad Little (ID), Kim Reynolds (IA), Eric Holcomb (IN), Tate Reeves (MS), Mike Parson (MO), Greg Gianforte (MT), Pete Ricketts (NE), Chris Sununu (NH), Doug Burgum (ND), Mike DeWine (OH), Kevin Stitt (OK), Henry McMaster (SC), Bill Lee (TN), Greg Abbott (TX), Spencer Cox (UT), and Mark Gordon (WY).

In April, President Biden signed an Executive Order to form the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States to explore reforming the Court, specifically including the consideration of court packing.

The Governors urge Biden to withdraw this proposal from consideration.

“Legal scholars from across the country and on both sides of the political aisle agree that court packing will breed perpetual court packing—it will never be enough,” the letter states. “Each partisan shift will result in seats added to the Court until the Court has lost not only its independence but its authority. The end result of court packing would lead to inconsistent rulings that undermine the legitimacy of the Court and fail to guide our nation and serve our states.”

View the signed letter here.