The Supreme Court is poised to make dramatic changes in the national legal landscape this month, and Americans don’t seem happy about that at all.
Only 1 in 4 Americans have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the high court, according to a Gallup poll released Thursday. That’s a record low, and down 11 percentage points from this time last year.
Confidence in the court among Democrats is down to 13%, as the conservative supermajority flexes its muscle. The poll was taken in early June, after a draft Supreme Court opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade had been leaked and published.
But it’s not just Democrats. Only 25% of independents have confidence in the court, down from 40% last year, and only 39% of Republicans are pleased – despite the conservative tilt after three of former President Donald Trump’s nominees were confirmed.
Aside from the leak – and the public reaction and protests – controversy has enveloped the court regarding its so-called shadow docket and questions surrounding what role that Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, a conservative activist who’s the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, played in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Justices have sparred in public speeches and in their opinions as well.
The last few decisions of the term are expected to be released in the coming days. Cases remaining include controversies on abortion, immigration, climate change regulations and the separation of church and state.
