Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced on Tuesday that they support the “Keep Nine” Amendment, which seeks to cap the number of justices in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The proposed amendment would add phrasing to the U.S. Constitution to prevent the expansion of the highest court: “The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine Justices.”
“Over the years, efforts to alter the composition of the court have always been met with skepticism by the American people of attempting to politicize the court,” DeWine said in a joint statement with Husted on Tuesday. “Keeping the number of justices at nine enshrined in the Constitution will prevent any political party from tampering with the court for political gain.”
The “Keep Nine” Amendment follows legislation introduced last week to add four new seats to the Supreme Court.
The amendment has been endorsed by more than 200 current and former members of Congress, governors, attorneys general and other politicians. Those from Ohio who have endorsed the amendment include Sen. Rob Portman and Reps. Bob Gibbs, Troy Balderson, David Joyce, Steve Stivers, Brad Wenstrup, Steve Chabot and Robert Latta, all Republican. The amendment has also been supported by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber and former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery, also all Republican.
“To pack the Court is to politicize the Court with the consequence of further undermining trust in our institutions and hardening, rather than healing, our divisions,” Husted said. “I support efforts, including the Keep Nine amendment, that protect the Court from political overreach in order to preserve the independence and trust in America’s federal judicial system.”
Read more about the Keep Nine Amendment coalition and its supporters here.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair.
