Roberts Says He Has No Plans To Retire: ‘I’m Going Out Feet First’

Chief Justice John Roberts made it clear on Wednesday that stepping down from the Supreme Court isn’t something on his mind. Still, he revealed that he had once asked two close friends to keep an eye on his well-being and let him know if he was no longer fit for the bench.

“I’ve sat down with them and said, ‘I want at the appropriate time’ — because you don’t always notice that you’re slipping — ‘I want the two of you to tell me if it’s time to go,’” Roberts told a group of legal professionals at an event in Buffalo, New York.

He then shared the humorous way the conversation unfolded. “It was a long pause, and at once, the two of them said, ‘It’s time to go.’ So I said, ‘Alright, never mind,’” he continued.

Now 70, Roberts quipped that he’s in no hurry to leave the Court, joking, “I’m going out feet first” when asked about retirement.

“I say that now. I mean, I’m sure if your health declines, and if you recognize that you’re a burden to the court rather than part of an assist to everybody, then, it’ll be time to go,” he said.

Roberts made the remarks during a fireside chat marking the 125th anniversary of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. The subject of aging in public office has been a growing concern across the federal government.

President Biden has frequently had to address concerns about his age during his reelection campaign. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has raised eyebrows with recent incidents in front of cameras, and a 97-year-old federal judge in Washington, D.C., is currently locked in a dispute over her ability to continue serving. Other elected officials have also faced mounting questions about age and mental sharpness.

As for the Supreme Court, Roberts said age rarely becomes an issue. “There have been times when somebody has stayed a little longer than they should, then the other colleagues come, and it’s always really worked out, so I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Roberts said.

He emphasized that he still feels physically well. Despite serving nearly twenty years on the Court, Roberts is still younger than Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Sonia Sotomayor.

Although public conversation about potential retirements has recently focused on Thomas and Alito, neither has hinted that they intend to step away from their roles anytime soon.

Roberts also spent part of the evening reminiscing about his upbringing in Buffalo, noting that he had paid a visit to the home where he grew up before attending the event.

When asked about the push to impeach judges who opposed Trump-era policies, Roberts declined to weigh in beyond reaffirming what he has said in the past.

“Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions,” Roberts said.

{Matzav.com}