Opportunity knocked

Breyer’s Brother: ‘He Did Not Want to Die on the Bench’

Charles Breyer says the Supreme Court justice appreciated the logic of a campaign to get him to step down while a Democrat is in office.

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s brother says he decided to retire at the end of this term because it would create an opportunity for a Democratic president to replace him with someone “like minded.” Charles Breyer told The Washington Post that the justice was well aware of a campaign to get him to give up his seat. “I think what impressed him was not the campaign but the logic of the campaign,” the brother said. “And he thought he should take into account the fact that this was an opportunity for a Democratic president—and he was appointed by a Democratic president—to fill his position with someone who is like-minded.” In addition, Charles Breyer said, “he did not want to die on the bench.”