One federal judge fed up with Capitol Hill had harsh words for Congress, which he blames for the government shutdown: “Go to hell,” he said.
Fox News reported U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf made the remarks in a blog posting — and didn’t hold back on calling for a judicial revolt.
He wrote, on “Hercules and the Umpire,” his personal blog: “Given the loss of employees already suffered by the judiciary on account of the sequester and otherwise, why shouldn’t every remaining employee of every federal district court … be declared ’essential?’ “
Mr. Kopf said his fellow judicial branch colleagues ought to declare all their workers exempt from furloughs — a thinly disguised rebellion at legislative authority. He said a declaration like that would actually force Congress to back down, and overturn the lawmakers’ push to “destroy the judiciary by failing to pass a budget.”
If the judiciary did take such a strong stance, it would force Congress into a corner with only two options: Destroy the court system. Or go “bat [expletive],” and duke it out with the judiciary, he wrote.
He wrapped: “It is time to tell Congress to go to hell. It’s the right thing to do.”
Mr. Kopf was appointed by President George W. Bush in 1992 to the District of Nebraska.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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