Roberts Critiques Intense Rhetoric Against Judges
Chief Justice John Roberts has expressed concern about the “dangerous” rhetoric directed at judges who are simply trying to interpret the law.
He called on politicians to calm down and cautioned that such inflammatory language could lead to political violence.
“In recent years, I’ve found myself having to address the comments aimed at judges from one political side,” Roberts remarked during a meeting of judges in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It’s surrounded by political conflict that judges are caught up in. The risk is that someone may act on it. We’ve even faced serious threats of violence and murder against judges just performing their duties.”
“So, I believe individuals on both sides of the aisle should be cautious about that,” he stressed.
Roberts’ comments came the day after the Supreme Court concluded its term, which included contentious issues such as a recent ruling favoring Maryland parents who want to remove LGBTQ-themed picture books from schools.
During the meeting, Roberts refrained from discussing the specifics of major cases.
Concerns over political violence are rising. Earlier this month, a shooting incident involving Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman prompted calls for enhanced security from lawmakers. Last year, Congress had allocated around $25 million to increase security for nine Supreme Court justices.
This summer, a man was arrested near the home of conservative judge Brett Kavanaugh after attempting to assassinate him.
Roberts also critiqued the anger directed at the High Court’s decisions, emphasizing that those who lose cases shouldn’t blame the judges. “It’s not the judge’s fault if the law leads to a certain ruling,” he said. “Complaining about it isn’t constructive.”
He didn’t single out any specific politicians. Earlier this year, he rebuffed comments from former President Trump suggesting that federal judges could be removed for unfavorable rulings. “For over two centuries, it’s been clear that differing opinions on judicial decisions can’t justify such actions. There are channels to appeal for that,” Roberts noted in March.
During the discussion, he spoke with Albert Diaz, a Supreme Court Judge from the Fourth Circuit, about significant upcoming decisions, highlighting a Louisiana case that will be revisited next term. “Things were getting a bit tight toward the end of the year,” Roberts admitted, hinting that the Court might aim for improvement in the future.
