<p>Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) expressed his support for expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices and reflected on his defense of Clarence Thomas during the justice’s confirmation in 1991.</p>
<p>In an appearance on NBC News’s <em>Meet the Press</em>, Clyburn discussed proposals from the left wing of the Democratic Party, including the idea of adding justices to reduce the influence of conservatives. When asked about former Vice President Kamala Harris’s suggestion to increase the number of justices to 13, he agreed.</p>
<p>“I think that we are in a position now that calls for some significant actions taken by the Congress, and we ought to expand. And 13 is a pretty good number. A baker’s dozen would be a good number to have on the court, and I would hope we would get people on the court who will follow the constitutional underpinnings of this great nation of ours,” he stated.</p>
<p>“We have now a Supreme Court that has decided to reverse course and take this country back,” Clyburn added.</p>
<p>Earlier in the interview, Clyburn expressed regret for having supported Thomas during the justice’s contentious confirmation hearing in 1991.</p>
<p>“You know, I have made mistakes in my life, and that’s one that I made, and I will own up to that mistake. The fact of the matter is, I had faith and confidence in the fact that his background and experiences would instruct him in his professionalism, especially sitting on the bench,” he said.</p>
<p>“I thought that he would follow those court decisions that upheld the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act. I had no idea that Clarence Thomas would rebel the way he has against his own background and experiences,” Clyburn added.</p>
<p>Expanding the Supreme Court, which has traditionally been a controversial topic, has gained traction in recent years among the left wing of the Democratic Party as a means to counterbalance the conservative majority on the court. Prominent figures in the party have increasingly considered these proposals as the progressive faction has grown.</p>