Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is calling for an increase in the number of seats on the Supreme Court to “ensure” that “gun safety” laws are not struck down.
“We have to take very seriously the threat which an illegitimate, far-right Supreme Court poses to gun safety in our country,” Markey said on Thursday.
He added, “We have to expand the Supreme Court to get back the two stolen seats that the Republicans and Donald Trump took from the American people so that we can ensure that when we put gun safety laws on the books, they are not overridden by the Supreme Court of the United States.”
Watch the video below:
Democrat Senator Ed Markey:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 26, 2022
"We have to take very seriously the threat which an illegitimate, far right Supreme Court poses to gun safety in our country. We have to expand the Supreme Court to get back the two stolen seats that the Republicans & Donald Trump took…" pic.twitter.com/zxZcirTwaX
Markey’s comments come days after a gunman opened fire in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two adults.
The shooting is the second deadliest shooting in an elementary school in U.S history.
In a separate tweet, Markey wrote, “Congress has a moral responsibility to address gun violence, but Republicans refuse to act.”
“I am standing with activists and advocates from [Everytown] to demand that we abolish the filibuster and pass comprehensive gun safety legislation now,” he added.
Congress has a moral responsibility to address gun violence, but Republicans refuse to act. I am standing with activists and advocates from @Everytown to demand that we abolish the filibuster and pass comprehensive gun safety legislation now. https://t.co/nbgsLWTcIp
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) May 26, 2022
Markey’s comment about “stolen” Supreme Court seats appear to refer to the appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Gorsuch was nominated by former President Donald Trump in 2017 to fill the vacancy that opened up after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death in 2016.
That came after then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declined to consider former President Barack Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court.
The other stolen seat appears to refer to Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Trump nominated Barrett to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat just weeks before the 2020 presidential election.
The Senate voted just a week before election day to confirm Barrett.
During his time in office, Trump appointed a total of three justices.
There is currently a 6-3 conservative majority on the court.