Two senior Republicans, Senator Grassley and Representative Jordan, asked Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. on Wednesday to shut down lower federal judges who have been complaining about the Justice’s decisions in Trump cases.
The judges have been spilling to the media, including The New York Times and NBC News. The judges said they were dismayed by the Supreme Court’s handling of the flood of Trump litigation.
The two lawmakers called the comments “inflammatory” and said they could represent violations of judges’ ethics code.
“We are deeply concerned that these public attacks on the court from sitting federal judges damage the public’s faith and confidence in our judicial system. When judges call into question the legitimacy of their own branch of government, they erode faith in the institution itself,” they said.
NBC reported that one judge said the Supreme Court was “effectively assisting the Trump administration in ’undermining the lower courts.’”
One judge told The New York Times the district courts’ relationship with the high court had become a “war zone.”
The outlets didn’t share the names of the judges, but we’re guessing they are Obama or Biden judges, possibly Clinton’s. Chief Justice Roberts doesn’t like criticism of judges, so it should also hold when they criticize Justices’ rulings.
The Chairman asked Chief Justice Roberts to report to Congress whether he’s ordered an investigation into the judges or issued any cautions over the behavior.
So, Grassley is looking supportive of the administration by calling out these judges, and this is a good thing. However, Grassley and Thune are destroying Trump’s agenda by keeping the filibuster and blue slip. Thanks to the blue slip, Trump can’t appoint normal judges.