Nancy Pelosi thwarts attempt to expand US Supreme Court in blow to liberal Democrats

Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat speaker of the US House of Congress, has dealt a blow to the party's liberal wing by knocking back a proposal to expand the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, a bill was presented to Congress which would expand the court from nine justices to 13, in a move backed by progressive activists pushing to wipe out the Republican's advantage.

“Republicans stole the court’s majority,” said Democrat senator Edward J. Markey in a statement announcing the proposal, adding that they had “undermined its legitimacy” and were threatening the “rights of millions of Americans.”

Ms Pelosi said in a press conference that expanding the court was “an idea that should be considered” and “is not out of the question” but she has no plans to bring the current proposal to the floor, effectively knocking it down at the first hurdle.

Instead, she said she supported President Joe Biden’s decision to form a special commission to investigate the issue, calling it “a big step.”

The number of Supreme Court justices has remained at nine since 1869, but Congress has the power to change the number and did so several times before that.

Republicans oppose the idea of what is sometimes called "court packing."

Some Democrats and liberal activists have said all options including expansion must be considered to counter an entrenched conservative majority that could threaten abortion rights, civil rights, gun control and access to healthcare in the coming years.

Currently, Supreme Court justices have life tenure and serve the court until they die, resign, retire or are impeached and removed from the office.

Republican former President Donald Trump was able to appoint three justices during his four years in office, giving the court a 6-3 conservative majority.

Some appointments sparked huge controversy, including that of Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of, and denied, allegations of sexual assault and Amy Coney Barrett, who took up the role just before the November election.

Her appointment was rushed through in what Senator Chuck Schumer called "the most illegitimate process I have ever witnessed in the Senate."

The bill's shutdown is just the latest play in a long-running divide between Ms Pelosi and the liberal wing of the Democrat party.

“All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world,” Ms. Pelosi said of a group of four female congresswomen known as 'the squad,' which includes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

“But they didn’t have any following. They’re four people, and that’s how many votes they got.”

A new book due for release later this month claims that Ms Pelosi raised the pitch of her voice and mimicked the group, saying: "See how perfect I am and how pure?”

Republican lawmakers were pleased by Ms Pelosi's refusal to take up court expansion, having expressed their displeasure at the legislation when it was introduced on Thursday.

“Packing the court is an act of arrogant lawlessness,” said Mike Lee, a Utah Senator.

“Those behind this effort spit in the face of judicial independence.”

Congressman Barry Loudermilk, from Georgia, said the Democrats were “shamelessly trying to dismantle our institutions of government to expand their own political power.”

Chuck Fleischmann, a congressman from Tennessee added: “Court-packing is a dangerous and radical idea that will destroy Americans' trust and confidence in our institutions and highest court.”