Ohio State Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-65-Loveland) introduced a resolution to the Ohio House of Representatives last week encouraging the U.S. Congress to adopt an amendment that would cap the number of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court at nine.
There has been a push to pass a “Keep Nine” amendment in response to threats of court-packing, in which the Supreme Court is expanded in order to place justices of a particular political party to sway the court’s leaning.
Schmidt said she believes that the president and congress should be “prohibited from undermining the independence” of the Supreme Court.
“The policies and actions we are watching come from Washington, D.C. are truly concerning,” Schmidt said in a statement. “If the Democrats continue their efforts to ‘pack the Supreme Court’, they need to be aware that the American people are watching. This resolution is modeled after other resolutions across the country and, while nonbinding, we cannot sit back and allow these fundamental shifts to occur in our federal government.”
The resolution was introduced on Tuesday and was referred to the House Civil Justice Committee.
Other Ohio leaders have voiced support for the “Keep Nine” amendment, including Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, as well as several U.S. senators from Ohio.
“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 statement announcing his support for the amendment. “Keeping the number of justices at nine enshrined in the Constitution will prevent any political party from tampering with the court for political gain.”
Read Schmidt’s resolution here.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair.
