Thread by @ashtonpittman

The national press' sudden obsession with court packing is interesting.

Where was that interest when McConnell blocked all of President Obama's federal court nominees from 2015-2017, allowing Trump to inherit 100 vacancies and pack the courts with (mostly white male) GOP picks?

https://twitter.com/jackshafer/status/1314936706613874690

The press knows why Biden and others aren't answering the question, "Will you pack the courts?"

The courts are already packed with white men that McConnell ensured Trump would be able to pick when he blocked Obama's nominees. 2/

McConnell's blocking of Obama's nominees in 2015-2017 left so many vacancies that Donald Trump (who lost the popular vote by 3 million) appointed more judges in one 4-year term than Barack Obama (who won by 10 million in 2008 and 5 million in 2012) did in 8 years. 3/

So the courts are already packed.

Whether or not Joe Biden expands the Supreme Court (not all courts) clearly depends on whether McConnell successfully goes back on his word when he blocked Garland in an election year and gets Barrett confirmed before the election. 4/

The national press KNOWS that Biden's decision on expanding the Supreme Court depends on whether McConnell gets Coney confirmed in violation of McConnell's reasoning for not allowing Garland a hearing.

They also know it depends on who wins the Senate. 5/

So why does nat'l press obsess over Biden answering whether he'll expand SCOTUS knowing his answers depends on Barrett + Senate elections?

The same reason they pretended Hillary's emails rivaled Watergate: It allows them to say they're being tough on "both sides." 6/

That's the problem with journalism "just the facts, ma'am" & "what both sides are saying" reporting.

"Just the facts" doesn't mean all the facts—which means you're leaving context out.

Without context, you may give people a buncha facts, but you aren't giving them truth. 7/

Here's the truth:

The real issue isn't about whether Democrats or Republicans get to pick justices. The federal courts aren't a team sport.

It's about whether voting rights are safe, LGBT people are equal, disability protections stand, civil rights are safe & so much more. 8/

So any decision Biden makes shouldn't be about, "How can Dems get more judges?"

It should be about, "Have McConnell & Trump's actions so harmed the courts that protections for marginalized people & checks on power are no longer safe?"

That's the topic—Not partisan power games.

So to my friends in the national media: Do not treat the courts, and any decision about them, as partisan tit-for-tat.

That's my marriage.

That's millions' health care.

That's voting rights.

That's women's equality.

That's POC & disabled people's equal rights.

For more context on how the courts have already been packed:

https://twitter.com/ashtonpittman/status/1315101972702339078