Australia and the World Past and Present

Donald Trump has taken offense from judicial rulings overturning or limiting the actions of his administration.

Recently, judge James Boasberg ruled against the Trump administration over the deportation of Venezuelan nationals.

Trump has gone so far as suggesting that the judge should be impeached.

He wrote on social media “I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. This judge, like many of the CROOKED Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!”

In what surely must be interpreted as a rebuke to the President’s attacks on judges, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has issued a rare public statement.

Such interventions are not common. Justices of the Supreme Court are loathe to do anything that can be interpreted as political.

Justice Roberts said “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”

He notes that if one disagrees with a ruling, one may lodge an appeal.

Robert’s statement shows how high the stakes are in the current political climate and how we are entering uncharted waters.

The impeachment of federal judges in the US is not a common thing.

In US history, only 15 federal judges have been impeached and only 8 have been convicted.

In order for an impeachment to be successful, it must pass the House by a simple majority and the Senate by a majority of two-thirds.

If articles of impeachment were introduced, it is possible that it could pass the Republican-controlled House.

Republicans also hold the Senate at the current time but do not enough votes for impeachment unless a number of Democrats support it too.

Many of the long-held conventions that Presidents once observed are being tossed out the window. One cannot envision former President Biden haranguing a judge because he did not agree with their decision or suggesting that they should be impeached.

These kinds of attacks will further erode public trust in the judicial system.