Biden answers question on expanding Supreme Court, says 'not a fan of court packing'

"I'm not a fan of court packing, but I don't want to get off on that whole issue," said Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Published: October 13, 2020 7:44am

Updated: October 13, 2020 11:25am

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Monday that he's "not a fan of court packing" — after weeks of dodging questions on whether he supports expanding the Supreme Court.

"I've already spoken on — I'm not a fan of court packing, but I don't want to get off on that whole issue," he said in an interview on WKRC-TV in Cincinnati. 

Biden has declined to answer the question on the campaign trail since Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Sept. 18 and President Trump swiftly nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett as her replacement. 

Democrats, particularly progressives, have in response suggested adding more justices to the high court — if Biden is elected and they win the Senate — to dilute what would be a 6-3 conservative advantage if Barrett is confirmed. 

"The president would like nothing better than to fight about whether or not I would in fact pack the court or not pack the court," Biden also said Monday in the interview.

Biden, who served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during his decades as a senator from Delaware, had expressed opposition to adding to the number of justices on the high court as recently as last year, according to Bloomberg News.

Unlock unlimited access

  • No Ads Within Stories
  • No Autoplay Videos
  • VIP access to exclusive Just the News newsmaker events hosted by John Solomon and his team.
  • Support the investigative reporting and honest news presentation you've come to enjoy from Just the News.
  • Just the News Spotlight

    Support Just the News