Democrats Reportedly Float Plan To Boot Entire Virginia Supreme Court After Losing Redistricting Case

Democrats were reportedly considering lowering the retirement age for state Supreme Court justices following the court’s decision to strike down a redistricting voter referendum, The New York Times reported Sunday.

The idea, which was broached during a Saturday call with Democratic lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, would reduce the retirement age of Virginia Supreme Court justices from 75 to 54, forcing all current justices off the bench and appointing justices who would vote in favor of the gerrymandering plan. The plan comes after the Virginia Supreme Court ruled against the new maps in a 4-3 decision Friday.

The maneuver would rely on Democrats who control both chambers of the state Legislature in Richmond, lowering the mandatory retirement age, then filling newly created vacancies with justices who could potentially rehear the redistricting case and rule in their favor.

Democratic Virginia Rep. Suhas Subramanyam reportedly supported doing whatever was necessary to preserve the map approved by voters, including replacing state Supreme Court justices, according to the NYT.

“Everyone has got to have a strong stomach right now; this is a complete disaster waiting to happen if people are timid,” Subramanyam told