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Fact Check: Chuck Schumer Misspeaks About the Composition of the Court
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Fact Check: Chuck Schumer Misspeaks About the Composition of the Court

He said, ‘Until 1981, this powerful body, the Supreme Court, was all white men.’

Alec Dent
Feb 4
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On Thursday, Sen. Chuck Schumer gave a speech on the Senate floor in which he claimed that “Until 1981, this powerful body, the Supreme Court, was all white men.”

Twitter avatar for @thehillThe Hill @thehill
.@SenSchumer: "Until 1981, this powerful body, the Supreme Court, was all White men. Imagine. America wasn't all White men in 1981, or ever. Under President Biden and this Senate majority, we're taking historic steps to make the courts look more like the country they serve."

February 3rd 2022

188 Retweets605 Likes

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court, with President Ronald Reagan nominating her in 1981. The Senate confirmed her nomination with a 99-0 vote on September 21, 1981. While O’Connor was the first woman to serve on the court, Schumer erred in saying that before her confirmation the court was “all white men.” President Lydon B. Johnson nominated Thurgood Marshall in 1967, and Marshall became the first black Supreme Court justice after the Senate confirmed him in a 69-11 vote.

Schumer later walked back his comments, tweeting that he “misspoke.”

Twitter avatar for @SenSchumerChuck Schumer @SenSchumer
Sorry that I misspoke earlier today. Of course, I remember the dedication and legal excellence that Thurgood Marshall brought to the Supreme Court.

February 3rd 2022

309 Retweets2,826 Likes

  
If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.

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Brett Houseman
Feb 4

I don't think this is a huge deal but that tweet from Schumer is pretty funny for obvious reasons. Of course, he remembers Thurgood Marshall....except when he clearly did not remember during his speech on the senate floor.

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Chris L
Feb 4

Heh was gonna say, Thurgood Marshall was kindof a big deal.

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