John Hickenlooper is big on trusting experts. He wants President Donald Trump, Sen. Cory Gardner and others to lean on experts regarding all things COVID-19. In a recent debate with Gardner, Hickenlooper said he would support shutting down the economy as a hedge against the COVID-19 — if medical experts advise it.

Given his trust in experts, it is hard to understand his inability to answer one simple question. Colorado needs to know if Hickenlooper would “pack the court” — meaning add seats to the Supreme Court and fill them with left-wing activist judges.

He repeatedly refuses to answer the question as he seeks to defeat Gardner in the Nov. 3 election. The latest dodge came Friday when a debate moderator asked Gardner and Hickenlooper if they would support packing the court under any circumstance.

Hickenlooper danced around the issue before the question went to Gardner.

“Mr. Gardner, 30 seconds as well, is there any circumstance under which you would support adding a 10th or 11th supreme court justice?”

“No, and I yield the rest of my time for John Hickenlooper to actually answer the question. He has said in the past that he would be open to court-packing… John, you have the rest of the time to answer the question, yes or no, will you pack the court?”

Hickenlooper allowed a long, awkward pause, glanced a Gardner with a look of annoyance, then offered a nervous laugh and another non-answer to a “yes or no” question.

“I’m happy to… repeat the answer I gave… the bottom line is the institution, the institution, I have no intention of, of,” Hickenlooper said.

The time bell rang and the moderated instantly intervened to save Hickenlooper from saying anything further on the issue.

Hickenlooper is an expert on a number of important issues. He is an expert on matters of geology, especially as they pertain to oil and gas exploration and extraction. In a visit with The Gazette’s editorial board in 2011, Hickenlooper correctly predicted new oil and gas exploration of the Niobrara Shale Formation east of Colorado Springs would likely find nothing worth harvesting.

Hickenlooper is an expert on premium beer, as a significant pioneer in the nationwide craft brewing movement. One might consider him an expert on starting and running small businesses. He has experiences that could help him in the Senate and we know him as a man of intelligence.

Yet, no one would — including the candidate himself — considers Hickenlooper an expert on the court or the law. More than half of senators, including Gardner, have professional law degrees from accredited law schools. Hickenlooper does not, and that is not a big concern. In fact, he could make his unique background an asset — especially his small business and energy experience.

When it comes to the Supreme Court and other matters of law, Hickenlooper should listen to the experts

Until Sept. 18, one could fairly state the county had no greater legal expert than Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She studied law at Harvard and Columbia, practiced law, served as a federal appellate judge, and spent nearly 30 years as a distinguished Supreme Court Justice writing some of history’s more insightful majority and minority opinions. If Dr. Anthony Fauci is the go-to expert on diseases, Ginsburg was at least his equal on matters of the legal process.

Hickenlooper held her in the highest regard. For expert advice regarding the Supreme Court, he should listen to Ginsburg.

“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was… one of the greatest people to ever grace our nation,” Hickenlooper tweeted after Ginsburg died in September.

As one of the greatest people ever, Ginsburg made perfectly clear what she thought about packing the court. She opposed the idea. Packing the court on the heels of her death would disrespect an American icon who gave the best and last years of her life to the institution.

“If anything,” she told NPR, packing the court “would make the court look partisan. It would be that — one side saying, ‘When we’re in power, we’re going to enlarge the number of judges, so we would have more people who would vote the way we want them to.’ “

Ginsburg said “nine” is the good and traditional number of justices.

That should make this a simple “yes” or “no” question for Hickenlooper, a man who advises heeding expert advice. Mr. Hickenlooper, next time don’t obfuscate and stammer on this question. respect Justice Ginsburg, of the greatest people “ever,” and just say “no” to packing the court. Voters need to know what you would do.