If history does repeat itself, it’s worth taking a look at the Supreme Court’s past. Has there ever been a Court as consequential as the one presiding today? Were there justices who had similarly close ties with politicians and donors? A new book argues that the answer is yes — a similar supermajority reigned supreme in the past.
By the summer of 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had appointed a nearly unprecedented seven of nine justices. This Court was progressive and made decisions that bolstered voting and reproductive rights. But on some occasions, the Court bowed to Roosevelt’s will, even approving the mass internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The Court at War details the little-known story of how Roosevelt altered the nation’s highest court, as well as the long-lasting consequences.
Join us for a live event with the author, Georgetown Law professor Cliff Sloan, on Thursday, September 28, at 1 p.m. ET to learn about the close ties between Supreme Court justices and their political allies during the Roosevelt era and how this practice continues to this day. Sloan will offer his unique perspective as someone who has served in all three branches of the federal government to guide the conversation from the Roosevelt Court to today’s Court.
SPEAKERS:
- Cliff Sloan, Professor, Georgetown Law School; Author, The Court at War
- Moderator: Faiza Patel, Senior Director, Brennan Center Liberty and National Security Program
