As soon as the news broke that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will retire at the end of the current session, right-wing activists began declaring that Breyer had been "bullied" into stepping down and therefore Republicans must do everything they can to block whomever President Joe Biden nominates to fill that seat.
Carrie Severino of the Judicial Crisis Network and Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch both asserted that Breyer had been forced out of his seat on the court.
The Left bullied Justice Breyer into retirement and now it will demand a justice who rubber stamps its liberal political agenda. And that’s what the Democrats will give them, because they’re beholden to the dark money supporters who helped elect them.
— Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) January 26, 2022
The Left forced Breyer off the Supreme Court and you can be sure they will require Biden to pick an extremist. (Remember, their core goal is to pack the Supreme Court.) Will Republicans play along? pic.twitter.com/b8s2t2kW8Q
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) January 26, 2022
Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America declared that Biden must use the vacancy to unify the nation by appointing to the court a "constitutionalist" (which is conservative code for "right-wing ideologue").
Justice Bryer's retirement is not unexpected. This presents @joebiden a great opportunity to be a unifying force for the nation by appointing a Constitutionalist to SCOTUS. @CWforA will be watching. https://t.co/Waw8gcmkb4 @CWforA @YWforA
— Penny Nance (@PYNance) January 26, 2022
Proclaiming that the Senate is the "our last line of defense against radical leftist SCOTUS justices," Ohio Republican Senate candidate Josh Mandel used the opportunity to promote his own campaign.
The US Senate is our last line of defense against radical leftist SCOTUS justices.
This isn’t the time to send a squishy establishment RINO to Washington to sit back and sing kumbaya with Democrats and allow Joe Biden to appoint another justice like Kagan or Sotomayor.
— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) January 26, 2022
Rep. Lauren Boebert proclaimed that Biden should take a hint from Breyer and "follow him out the door."
Stephen Breyer is not the retirement we’ve been waiting for.
Biden should follow him out the door.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) January 26, 2022
Right-wing activist Brigitte Gabriel openly asserted that it doesn't even matter whom Biden nominates, "they must be stopped."
I don't trust whoever Joe Biden nominates to replace Stephen Breyer.
They must be stopped.
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) January 26, 2022
Right-wing commentator John Cardillo echoed that message.
Senate Republicans had better stand-fast and kill any Biden SCOTUS nomination.
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) January 26, 2022
Right-wing commentator Matt Walsh demanded that the position remain vacant until following the midterm elections in November, insisting that "it would be an assault on our democracy" to confirm any nominee before then.
It would be an assault on our democracy to confirm a Supreme Court pick before the midterm elections. Democrats must let the people have their say.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) January 26, 2022
Taking things a step further, radical Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers called on the U.S. Senate to "filibuster, stall, delay and hold Biden’s Supreme Court pick until 2024."
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) January 26, 2022