Justice Roberts Strikes Back

You remember the scene – the State of the Union address.  President Obama ridiculed and mischaracterized the fresh Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court.  The seven members of the Court in attendance sat in their traditional stoic silence as Democrats sitting right behind the Justices in attendance applauded and cheered – that is all except Sam Alito who mouthed “not true.”

Yesterday in Alabama, Chief Justice Roberts struck back suggesting that the SOTU has deteriorated to “a political pep rally” and wondering “why we’re there,” suggesting the Justices may boycott future SOTU addresses. 

"I think the process is broken down," Roberts said.  Acknowledging that anyone, including the President is free to criticize the Court, he has a problem with that happening at a SOTU.  According to Roberts, “…there is the issue of the setting, the circumstances and the decorum. The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court — according the requirements of protocol — has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling."  Read more here.