theatlantic.com by Garrett Epps 5/10/2017
The Supreme Court’s conservative swing vote faces a fateful decision.
Imagine if you will: You have worked for the government for 30 years. You believe in America, you believe in law, you believe in the majesty of the Constitution. You have served your vision both in good times and bad.
Your name is Anthony Kennedy.
Now it’s suggested you should step aside and let someone else take over. Someone appointed by President Donald Trump.
What do you do?
I have no inside sources at the U.S. Supreme Court. But I, like you, have heard the rumors swirling that Kennedy, the swing justice of the current court, may be stepping down in June.
Kennedy is 80 years old. He has served on the Supreme Court since 1988. He has, for good or ill, written his name boldly into the history of the court and of the Constitution—groundbreaking opinions on equality for gay men and lesbians will be his legacy, along with an enormous expansion of First Amendment rights in areas ranging from religious freedom to campaign finance. His votes in cases on abortion and affirmative action have steered the court on a moderate path in the thicket of extremism.
He did not spend his life in Washington. Sacramento was his home, and the life of a small-town sole practitioner was his career, until President Ford named him to the Ninth Circuit. He did not come to the court through service to a president; he did not seek the seat; Ronald Reagan came to him and asked him to take it because Reagan was in a political jam after two failed nominees. He is no president’s creature.
More:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/anthony-kennedys-choice/526071/?utm_source=atlfb
