In a striking display of hypocrisy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) compared President Biden’s proposed reforms to the Supreme Court to the January 6th attacks on the Capitol.
During an interview with Punchbowl News, McConnell criticized Biden’s proposals—such as 18-year term limits for justices and a binding code of conduct—by suggesting they are attempts to “break the rules” and undermine the system of governance.
“That’s what some people were trying to do Jan. 6 — to break the system of handing an administration from one to the next,” McConnell said, referring to the proposed reforms. “We can have our arguments, but we ought to not try to break the rules.”
McConnell’s condemnation comes despite his own record of bending Senate rules to secure right-wing judicial appointments. Notably, he led a strategy of obstruction and manipulation to ensure the appointment of conservative Supreme Court justices.
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The Kentucky Republican famously blocked President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, citing the need for a new president to make the appointment, a move he reversed with alacrity when appointing Justice Amy Coney Barrett during the 2020 election year.
“McConnell’s comments are deeply ironic,” said a political analyst. “He has repeatedly broken Senate norms to push through his preferred justices, all while criticizing any attempt to reform a system he has exploited for partisan gain.”
McConnell’s current position echoes his earlier statements where he derided Biden’s term limits proposal as “dead on arrival” and unconstitutional. Yet, McConnell’s own actions have frequently stretched or outright ignored Senate norms. For example, his maneuvering to confirm Barrett, just days before the 2020 presidential election, violated the precedent he had set in 2016 when blocking Garland’s confirmation.
Conservatives, including former Attorney General William Barr, have also criticized Biden’s reforms as threats to the Constitution and judicial independence. However, these criticisms seem less about preserving the Constitution and more about protecting the fruits of McConnell’s rule-bending strategies.
Vice President Kamala Harris has endorsed Biden’s proposed reforms, highlighting a stark contrast between those advocating for a reformed and transparent judicial process and those who seek political advantage.
