Alito says he will reconsider retirement each term

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said he considered retiring this year but decided to remain on the court, explaining in excerpts from a CBS interview that he believes he can still make a valuable contribution. He said he expects to reconsider the decision each term, leaving open whether he will retire in the future. Alito, 76, made the remarks in an interview with correspondent Jan Crawford. The full interview was scheduled to be released Monday, October 5. The excerpts do not indicate that he has set a retirement date or made a decision about next term. Asked whether he would revisit the question, Alito said he thought he had to consider it at his age. He said his belief that he could still contribute was why he chose to remain on the bench. He also described predicting his future circumstances and the political situation as difficult, including what a president might do regarding a potential replacement. Alito did not tie his decision to the midterm elections or to a specific Senate confirmation scenario, according to one account of the interview.