Reynolds Signs Joint Letter Opposing Packing the Supreme Court

DES MOINES, Iowa – Gov. Kim Reynolds joined 19 Republican governors in signing a joint letter to President Joe Biden spearheaded by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey opposing any efforts to “pack” the U.S. Supreme Court. The governors highlight how any attempt to increase the number of Justices on the court for partisan gain will manipulate the Court’s decisions.

Additional signatories include Governors Doug Ducey of Arizona, Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Florida, Brad Little of Idaho,  Eric Holcomb of Indiana, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Mike Parson of Missouri, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, Doug Burgum of North Dakota, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, Spencer Cox of Utah, and Mark Gordon of Wyoming.

Portions of the letter included below:

“As Governors, we oppose any attempt to increase the number of Justices on the Supreme Court of the United States. In short, “court packing”—or increasing the number of Justices to manipulate the Court’s decisions—would be unprecedented, unproductive, and unpredictable. The highest court in our land has seated nine justices for more than 150 years and has persisted throughout our nation’s history, dispensing justice even when faced with landmark, controversial decisions.
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“In April, you signed an Executive Order to form the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States to explore reforming the Court, specifically including the consideration of court packing. Opposition to the composition or past decisions of our Court should not be the impetus for radical change to a bedrock branch of our nation’s government.

We urge you to withdraw this proposal from consideration. Legal scholars from across the country and on both sides of the political aisle agree that court packing will breed perpetual court packing—it will never be enough. Each partisan shift will result in seats added to the Court until the Court has lost not only its independence but its authority. The end result of court packing would lead to inconsistent rulings that undermine the legitimacy of the Court and fail to guide our nation and serve our states.”

View the entire letter below: