After Supreme Court term, Chief Justice Roberts shrugs off ‘venting’ by those who lost

Speaking a day after the Supreme Court ended its term with a burst of high-profile decisions, Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday warned “political people” against criticizing judges and shrugged off critics if they are “venting” just because they lost.

Speaking a day after the Supreme Court ended its term with a burst of high-profile decisions, Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday warned “political people” against criticizing judges and shrugged off critics if they are “venting” just because they lost. Without addressing the court’s blockbuster decisions, including the high-profile ruling limiting the power of courts to act as a check on President Donald Trump, Roberts stressed the importance of an independent judiciary and warned against politicians expressing hostility toward jurists. “I’ve been compelled over the past few years to make statements about people on one side of the aisle – their views on judges – and on the other side,” Roberts told a conference of judges meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It becomes wrapped up in the political dispute that a judge who’s doing his or her job is part of the problem.” A few months ago, an audience listening to Roberts’ remarks might have read a subtle message about Trump between those lines. In March, the chief justice issued a striking statement pushing back on White House talking points that increasingly targeted judges – including with threats to impeach those who ruled against Trump. But more recently, Roberts and his conservative colleagues on the court have given the president far more reasons to celebrate than complain. The most significant example of that landed Friday, when a 6-3 majority backed Trump in his months-long fight over nationwide court orders that have paused many of his controversial executive orders. Democrats and left-leaning groups decried that ruling on Friday, arguing it kneecapped the ability of courts to stop a president’s policy even if it violates the law.