Friend,

With an endless rash of recent catastrophic decisions this term, it’s never been more clear that the U.S. Supreme Court has been captured by far-right judicial activists who explicitly have no regard for democracy or the rule of law.

Judicial precedent went out the window. They dismantled Roe v. Wade, allowing states to criminalize abortion. They knocked down New York’s common-sense gun control law despite daily gun massacres. And they intensified their relentless assault on voting rights to further disenfranchise voters of color.

In addition to these injustices, the extremist Supreme Court has now joined the side of corporate polluters in trying to exacerbate the climate crisis. Their ruling in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency hamstrings the federal government’s ability to regulate carbon emissions from fossil-fuel-burning power plants, taking away the EPA’s ability to do its job to address the climate crisis.

The conservative majority on the Supreme Court is dedicated solely to executing an extreme right-wing and corporate polluter agenda against the will of the vast majority of Americans. It’s past time for real reforms to make the Supreme Court more representative and legitimate, including instituting a code of ethics and adding at least four more seats.

Please, tell us: Are you in favor of an expanded, transparent, and accountable Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court’s EPA decision seriously curtails our ability to solve the climate crisis. It will only worsen the impacts of the crisis for low-income communities and communities of color disproportionately encumbered by pollution and impede our transition to a clean energy economy. By constraining federal power to regulate climate, the power to do so at the state level becomes even more important.

As Justice Kagan wrote in her dissent, it’s frightening that the Court has appointed itself “the decisionmaker on climate policy” rather than Congress or an expert agency.

This reactionary, activist Supreme Court is completely isolated and unaccountable to the American people. The majority of these right-wing justices were given lifetime appointments by presidents who did NOT win the popular vote and confirmed by Senators who represented a minority of Americans. Their rise to the Court was supported by dark money institutions invested in corporate polluters. Justices won’t recuse themselves of cases despite glaring conflicts of interest. They don’t even have an existing explicit code of ethics to be held to. 

Reforms are absolutely essential for the Supreme Court to regain its legitimacy and become a democratic institution that bases its decisions on the law and a 21st-century worldview, not a radical, right-wing, corporate agenda.

Expanding the number of the seats is the least we can do. Congress expanded the Court to nine justices in 1869 to match the number of federal circuit courts. We have 13 circuit courts today, so we should have at least 13 Supreme Court justices.

The Supreme Court also needs a code of ethics ASAP, especially regarding recusals and financial disclosures. Three of the justices were appointed by a President who orchestrated a coup, and another justice’s spouse was heavily involved in said coup. Two were credibly accused of sexual assault.  And the confirmation process has become a joke, littered with perjury, political grandstanding, and made-up rules.

We can’t afford to wait, friend. There is no time for commissions or incremental change: Pregnant people, LGTBQ people, voting rights, the safety of our children, and the planet are all under attack.

Corporate polluters are giddy about the Court’s EPA decision, but the environmental movement has something they don’t: the support of grassroots activists like you who are committed to saving our climate and our democracy from radical politicians.

President Biden and Congress need to know the American people demand SIGNIFICANT REFORMS to the Supreme Court right now, starting with four more seats and a binding code of ethics. Are you with us?

Thanks for showing your support.

- California Environmental Voters
(formerly California League of Conservation Voters)

EnviroVoters is hiring! Join us to work on critical climate legislation work.

California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters), formerly California League of Conservation Voters, exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. To protect our air, land, water, and future, we organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. Our vision is to solve the climate crisis, build resilient, connected, healthy communities, and create a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all.