Congressional Democrats are quietly kicking around a long-shot scheme to clear out Virginia’s entire Supreme Court, which just torched their gerrymandered congressional map.
During a private Saturday call that included Virginia’s Democratic House delegation and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), lawmakers vented over Friday’s ruling and floated what The New York Times described as “an audacious and possibly far-fetched idea” to replace every sitting justice and reinstate their map, according to a Sunday report.
The scheme includes lowering the mandatory judicial retirement age from 75 to 54 — the age of the youngest current justice — forcing all seven off the bench. Virginia judges are appointed by the Democratic-controlled General Assembly, which could then stack the court with friendly replacements.
“The conversation reflected the desperation and fury that have gripped the party after the state Supreme Court struck down a favorable map that had been ratified by voters,” the Times wrote, calling the mass ouster the “most dramatic idea they discussed.”
The idea reportedly drew “mixed reactions” on the call, and Democrats did not land on a path forward. Gov. Abigail Spanberger has not been briefed, her spokeswoman told the Times. Former Rep. James Moran (D-VA) warned the gambit would be “just a bridge too far” and could backfire.
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), who was on the call, told the Times he supports doing whatever is necessary, adding: “Everyone has got to have a strong stomach right now; this is a complete disaster waiting to happen if people are timid.”
Virginia’s elections commissioner, Steven Koski, has warned that map changes after Tuesday could derail the Aug. 4 primary. Democrats had hoped to flip four GOP seats under the voided map, and critics have slammed party leaders for a tepid response to the ruling.
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