In an interview that aired on Sunday, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that the Supreme Court justices should have term limits and left the door open for expansion of the nine-justice court.
On MSNBC's "Inside with Jen Psaki," Pelosi said that the justices "certainly should have term limits."
"Here we have a body... selected for life. Avoid ever having to seek public office. Pelosi remarked, "Nominated, confirmed for life, and immune from any ethical oversight whatsoever."
The comments by Pelosi come a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and federal abortion protections in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, returning abortion regulation to the states.
After the Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court came under intense scrutiny, and now, reports about Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito's financial disclosures have raised questions about the court's ethics standards at a time when the justices are weighing in on contentious national issues.
If nothing else, there should be ethical rules, as Pelosi put it.
Recent polling from Quinnipiac University found that only 30% of registered voters approved of the Supreme Court, a record low.
During an appearance on MSNBC, Pelosi called it "shameful" that Thomas and Alito "have been so cavalier about their violations of what would be expected of a justice of the Supreme Court." The approval rating of 30% seemed high to her, she said.
Regarding potential court expansion, the former Speaker was less definitive, calling it "a discussion."
"We haven't added on to the courthouse in over 150 years. Pelosi stated, "It went up to nine during Lincoln's time, and whether or not that should happen is a discussion — not a rallying cry, but a discussion.
On MSNBC's "Inside with Jen Psaki," Pelosi said that the justices "certainly should have term limits."
"Here we have a body... selected for life. Avoid ever having to seek public office. Pelosi remarked, "Nominated, confirmed for life, and immune from any ethical oversight whatsoever."
The comments by Pelosi come a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and federal abortion protections in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, returning abortion regulation to the states.
After the Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court came under intense scrutiny, and now, reports about Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito's financial disclosures have raised questions about the court's ethics standards at a time when the justices are weighing in on contentious national issues.
If nothing else, there should be ethical rules, as Pelosi put it.
Recent polling from Quinnipiac University found that only 30% of registered voters approved of the Supreme Court, a record low.
During an appearance on MSNBC, Pelosi called it "shameful" that Thomas and Alito "have been so cavalier about their violations of what would be expected of a justice of the Supreme Court." The approval rating of 30% seemed high to her, she said.
Regarding potential court expansion, the former Speaker was less definitive, calling it "a discussion."
"We haven't added on to the courthouse in over 150 years. Pelosi stated, "It went up to nine during Lincoln's time, and whether or not that should happen is a discussion — not a rallying cry, but a discussion.
