WASHINGTON – Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday criticized what he called “illegitimate activity” aimed at undermining the independence of the judiciary.
While facing criticism of controversial court rulings is part of the judges’ job, some recent actions have crossed the line, Roberts said in his annual year-end report.
It outlined four areas of concern: violence, intimidation, misinformation and threats to challenge court rulings.
All four “undermine our Republic and are totally unacceptable,” Roberts wrote.
He did not specify many specific examples of conduct that concern him, but the Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has faced a barrage of scrutiny since the 2022 ruling to overturn decades of abortion rights in the landmark Roe v. Wade.
That sparked protests outside some judges’ homes, and a man was charged with attempted murder after being arrested outside Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s home armed with a gun.
There has also been a renewed focus on the court by Democrats in Congress, sparked in part by media reports about alleged ethical lapses by some of the justices, with a focus on conservative Justice Clarence Thomas.
In his report, Roberts said the number of violent threats against judges has more than tripled in the last decade. Several judges, or their relatives, have been attacked and, in some cases, murdered.
“These tragic events highlight the vulnerability of judges who sign their names to the decisions they make each day and return home each night to communities where they remain involved as neighbors, volunteers and concerned citizens,” Roberts said.
Intimidation, in the form of protesters “trying to harass judges” and public officials “suggesting political bias in the judge’s adverse rulings without a credible basis,” is another growing problem, the chief justice wrote.
“Attempts to intimidate judges over their rulings in cases are inappropriate and must be vigorously combated,” he added.
Roberts also cited misinformation, exacerbated by social media and, in some cases, hostile foreign governments, as a problem as it can “undermine confidence in the justice system.”
Additionally, Roberts said any calls to challenge court rulings, which he said sometimes came from politicians on both the left and the right, “must be roundly rejected.”
Roberts is part of the conservative majority that has issued a series of rulings in recent months that have faced strong opposition from the left.
Earlier this year, the court ensured that President-elect Donald Trump would not face trial on election interference charges before the November election and ruled for the first time that presidents have broad criminal immunity for actions taken while in office. .
It has also issued several decisions that have undermined the power of federal agencies to issue regulations on issues such as environmental and consumer protection.
Supreme Court scrutiny is likely to continue as Trump is poised to take office again and vows to implement several policies prone to legal challenges. During Trump’s first term, he lost several high-profile cases at the Supreme Court.
Although the court has three judges appointed by Trump, the incoming president has a long history of harshly criticizing judges who rule against him.
