CALLING CONGRESS TO CHECK THE POWER OF THE SUPREME COURT
WHEREAS five of the current US Supreme Court Justices were nominated by Presidents who were not
elected by popular vote; and
WHEREAS six of these Justices have ties to the Federalist Society, a network of right-wing interest
groups funded by dark money that grooms prospective judicial nominees to advance corporate interests
and embrace originalism, a doctrine that decides cases by looking only at how the Constitution was
understood at the time it was written, a document that excluded women, African Americans, and
Indigenous people; and
WHEREAS Senator Mitch McConnell, the then Republican Majority Leader of the Senate, held open a
seat on the Supreme Court for nine months before the term of a twice popularly elected President
Obama was to end thus resulting in the seat being filled by President Trump who twice lost the popular
vote; and
WHEREAS President Trump vowed during his campaign that he would only nominate justices who would
overturn Roe v Wade; and
WHEREAS President Trump successfully nominated three justices vetted by the Federalist Society who
perjured themselves in their testimonies before the Senate Judiciary Committee that they believed Roe
v Wade was settled law; and
WHEREAS the current conservative majority of the Supreme Court recently struck down Roe v Wade as
a constitutional right to privacy under the 14th Amendment including abortion and bodily autonomy, as
well as ruled on other consequential cases, such as striking states’ rights to regulate firearms, reducing
the separation of church and state, and curtailing the power of the executive agencies to write and
enforce regulations including environmental protection.
WHEREAS the US Constitution stipulates that the three branches of the US Government are co-equal,
and US Congress has neglected its Constitutional oversight of the Supreme Court.
Therefore, be it resolved that the First District Democrats urge our members of Congress to:

1. Fulfill their Constitutional duty to regulate the Supreme Court as a check on the Court’s power;
2. Pass the Supreme Court Ethics Act, and
3. Restructure the Supreme Court of the United States by appointing justices to represent each of
   the thirteen (13) circuit courts, an increase of four (4) justices to balance the court and restore
   its legitimacy in the eyes of the U.S. public.
4. Impose term limits on Supreme Court justices;
5. Require that Supreme Justices be subject to the same Code of Ethics that lower court judges are
   required to follow, and
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be sent to all of the WA State Congressional
   Delegation.
   Submitted by Nancy Dolan August 4, 2022
   Recommended DO PASS by the Issues Committee August 4, 2022