Justice Kagan says Supreme Court rulings have been 'destructive to democracy' ahead of midterms
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan said recent rulings of the court have been 'destructive to democracy,' according to Reuters-style headlines summarized by the New York Times and NBC News coverage. The New York Times reported that she spoke during a discussion and that recent decisions on voting rights, gerrymandering and related matters have intensified polarization. NBC News reported that the liberal justice accused the court's conservative majority of undermining democracy. NBC said her criticism included one decision that paved the way for new congressional maps. The remarks came ahead of the midterms.
Supreme Court justices rarely criticize their colleagues' rulings so directly in public, so such remarks draw attention. Decisions on voting rights and map-drawing shape which districts are competitive and how easy it is to vote in the midterms.
Rulings on maps and voting rules decide how your district is drawn and how your vote counts. They also affect what lawsuits can still be brought over those rules.
Kagan's supporters see her remarks as a justice describing real consequences of decisions on voting rights and gerrymandering, consistent with her dissents.
Defenders of the conservative majority argue the court is applying the law and the Constitution rather than choosing political outcomes, and that criticism from a justice in the minority is part of normal disagreement.
Confirmed: that Kagan criticized recent rulings, per two outlets. Not confirmed: her exact wording beyond the quoted phrase and any reply from other justices. Watch for responses from other justices or court-watchers.
DailyDrop U.S. No. 17 · October 21, 2026