Sen. Charles E. Schumer gave Chief Justice John Roberts a backhanded compliment this week while wading into a national debate about “Obama judges.”
The Senate minority leader told Twitter followers Friday that he is “thankful” for Chief Justice Roberts’ decision to rebuke recent comments by Mr. Trump — despite lambasting the U.S. Supreme Court on his watch for “partisan” decisions that “seem highly political.”
At issue is Mr. Trump’s frustration with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on the West Coast and “Obama judges” whose rulings have been reversed by higher courts.
Chief Justice Roberts issued a rare statement Wednesday in defense of the judges’ impartiality.
“We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them,” he wrote in response to a request for comment from the Associated Press.
“Justice Roberts can say what he wants, but the 9th Circuit is a complete & total disaster,” Mr. Trump replied Thursday on Twitter. “It is out of control, has a horrible reputation, is overturned more than any Circuit in the Country, 79 percent, [and] is used to get an almost guaranteed result. Judges must not Legislate Security…”
The New York senator’s statement, however, appears to validate Mr. Trump’s underlying point while attacking him for making it.
“I don’t agree very often with Chief Justice Roberts, especially his partisan decisions which seem highly political on Citizens United, Janus, and Shelby,” Mr. Schumer tweeted. “But I am thankful today that he — almost alone among Republicans — stood up to President Trump and for an independent judiciary.”
I don’t agree very often with Chief Justice Roberts, especially his partisan decisions which seem highly political on Citizens United, Janus, and Shelby.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) November 23, 2018
But I am thankful today that he—almost alone among Republicans—stood up to President Trump and for an independent judiciary.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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