Rumors are rampant at sites too numerous to link here that Chief Justice Rehnquist will announce his retirement today, further scrambling the Supreme Court nomination fight. (I’ve also seen rumors about Justices Stevens and Ginsburg, but I have reason to be skeptical that conservative sources have the same access to them, or that they would not be powerfully motivated to stay on right now).
UPDATE: As of 4:30 p.m., Erick at RedState is reporting that “A reliable third party source just called to say that “it is done.” William Rehnquist has retired from the United States Supreme Court.”
I’m not seeing word anywhere else. If Erick is right, he’s got the scoop.
3 thoughts on “Hail and Farewell to the Chief?”
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For the cynical leftist point of view, Josh Marshall is reporting (third-hand) that Rehnquist gave in the resignation, but the White House is holding it until next week so this weekend all the focus will be on terrorism. It’s nice to see Karl isn’t too distracted by the Plame case… 🙂
Of course the Jews have known of his impending retirement for weeks…
Believe health issues are fueling the Ginburg & Stevens rumors. I doubt those spreading the rumors have any specific information. Ginburg has been in ill health off an on for a couple years and Stevens is 85.
I have watched many relatives go through their 80’s and a couple make it into their 90’s. And the most consistent thing about aging is its unpredictability. One person can live to 96 and never suffer a loss of mental faculties while another can suffer a huge dropoff in a matter of weeks in early 80’s. Other than Scalia, Thomas or Breyer, no retirement announcement would surprise me. I’m not predicting 6 will go just that none of the six would be an incredible surprise.