Liberals Undermining the Judiciary Get A Taste of Their Own Medicine
‘At the latest Federalist Society convention, Judge Edith Jones of the Fifth Circuit was on a panel with one of the field marshals of the academic project to undermine the judiciary. Any of our colleagues who know Judge Jones won’t be surprised to hear that in this academic context, she let the law professor have it… The reaction from liberals in the legal academy - although I repeat myself - was outrage.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding attacks on the federal judiciary:
“I’ve spoken before about the ongoing campaign to undermine the federal judiciary.
“Left-wing activists and elected colleagues, alike, continue to make their disapproval of constitutionalist orthodoxy known at all levels.
“And federal judges who are worried about where things are headed are in a bind.
“They can’t retaliate using their office because they swore an oath to uphold the law without respect to persons. They can’t go on social media to defend themselves or put out press statements.
“That’s because the American people rightly expect their judges to focus on deciding cases and interpreting the law, not engaging in crisis communications.
“Of course, the Founders anticipated some of this dynamic by giving federal judges life tenure. They hold their offices until they give them up—regardless of how loudly law professors may complain.
“So recent unanswered attacks may not have professional consequences for individual judges. But they do have an alarming effect on the judiciary as a whole. The Article Three branch lacks Congress’ power of the purse. It can’t exercise force like the President.
“Instead, it relies on the legitimacy of its judgments for its power, and these constant attacks are designed to erode that legitimacy.
“Leftist law professors and journalists attack the courts, seemingly with impunity. They know they can affect the institution while their targets have to sit there and take it.
“And that’s why I am so vocal and consistent in my defense of the federal judiciary.
“But sometimes – very rarely – the tables turn. Sometimes, a judge does get a chance to respond to those who seek to undermine the integrity of the judiciary. It actually happened just last week.
“At the latest Federalist Society convention, Judge Edith Jones of the Fifth Circuit was on a panel with one of the field marshals of the academic project to undermine the judiciary.
“Any of our colleagues who know Judge Jones won’t be surprised to hear that in this academic context, she let the law professor have it.
“When he complained that this was unfair and that he just wanted to talk about abstract legal principles of judicial integrity, she pulled out his tweets denigrating conservative judges in Texas.
“The reaction from liberals in the legal academy – although I repeat myself – was outrage.
“How dare, they said, a judge give one of their own the sort of tongue lashing they give conservative judges daily!
“Well, bullies always cry foul when they’re the ones who get punched right in the nose.
“So, kudos to Judge Jones for standing up for her colleagues. She proved yet again why she’s a lion of the bench.
“And even if organizations like the American Bar Association and the American Law Institute continue to refuse to defend the judiciary from partisan attacks, our federal judges can know that I at least will be in their corner.”
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