John Roberts‘s chief of staff, Jeffrey Minear, will retire on Sept. 30, the Supreme Court announced Tuesday.
Minear, who has served as counselor to Roberts since 2006, is stepping down at a time when the high court has taken a downturn in public opinion since the consequential June 24 ruling that allowed states to limit or restrict abortion access. Meanwhile, the justices are slated to meet back for the Supreme Court’s opening conference on Sept. 28 before the fall term begins on Oct. 3.
“I have been profoundly honored to support Chief Justice Roberts and his colleagues, on the Supreme Court and throughout our federal judiciary, in their vitally important work. I am departing the office with appreciation for the opportunity, with esteem for each member of the Supreme Court, and with the utmost confidence in the independence and integrity of our courts,” Minear wrote in a statement published by the Supreme Court’s Public Information Office.
SUPREME COURT FAVORABILITY HITS NEW LOW AFTER SUMMER ABORTION RULING
Minear’s responsibilities include serving as the right-hand man to the chief justice with tasks such as working closely with court officers on policies and initiatives for the high court. He also works as a liaison to the executive and legislative branches while working with court executives and judges on matters relating to judicial administration.
Additionally, Minear works on nonjudicial responsibilities, such as his role as chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution.
Roberts lauded the support of his chief counselor in a statement, saying Minear “has exemplified the finest tradition of Court staff, enabling the Supreme Court, and courts across our country, to serve the public efficiently and effectively.”
Minear intends to remain active in his legal profession and “in support of the court and judiciary” following his retirement. A successor will be announced “in due course,” the high court’s Public Information Office wrote in the statement.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Roberts strongly rebuked the leak of a draft opinion to the press in May that signaled the majority on the high court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade in the June ruling over Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The leaked opinion became a reality this summer and has caused the public perception of the Supreme Court to decline as low as it did following the 2015 ruling over Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage.
A recent Pew Research Center poll showed that 48% of the public sees the Supreme Court as favorable.
