Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are avoiding questions about expanding the Supreme Court

Bernard Bujold

Democratic presidential candidate and running mate Kamala Harris rejects demands by Republicans and some Democrats to say whether they are seeking to increase the number of judges on the Supreme Court.

Harris dodged unresolved questions on the issue on Wednesday during his debate against Vice President Mike Pence. Facing pressure to take a stand during a campaign trail in Phoenix on Thursday, Biden provided a particularly brief answer.

The debate is likely to intensify next week when Republican senators begin hearings to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett. She said it would bolster a conservative 6-3 majority in court, and the balance is already tilted by the fact that Republicans filled a vacant seat in the 2016 election year by refusing to be considered President Barack Obama's candidate.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris said the Senate should wait until after the election to fill the seat. Biden has pledged to choose his first black judge if he gets the chance. But he and Harris struggle to avoid talking about their vision for the future of the Supreme Court.

CTM NEWS

9 October 2020