WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden is expected to officially announce the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer today, one day after news leaked that the 83-year-old would be stepping down from the nation's highest court this summer.Wednesday, as the news rippled throughout the political world, Press Secretary Jen Psaki initially declined to comment, instead deferring to Breyer himself and the president.
The White House has now announced a 12:30 p.m. event in the Roosevelt Room; both Biden and Breyer are expected to attend.VIDEO: You can watch the event in the LiveNow player above.Associate Justice Stephen Breyer poses for the official group photo at the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC on November 30, 2018. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) Rumors about Breyer's possible retirement were swirling last summer as the court’s term came to a close.
Liberal activists had been pushing for his departure while Joe Biden is president, hoping to ensure a replacement nomination by a Democratic president after Republican Donald Trump pushed through three during his presidency.Breyer and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg resisted calls to step down the last time Democrats controlled Congress and the White House, when Barack Obama was president.
Then, Ginsburg died less than two months before Biden’s election.The Associated Press reported two sources knew of Breyer’s retirement and spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to preempt Breyer's eventual announcement. RELATED: Who is Stephen Breyer?