The Supreme Court delivered a not so veiled threat against judges who use activism in place of the law in their decisions. They also criticized the judges for making their rulings national and not case specific. Which would be a breach of trust on their part.
Those judges would be eligible for removal for corruption. Although the warning is about several different issues. The court was especially harsh on judges who ruled against Trump’s travel bans. As he was doing this under the auspices of a law passed by Congress. They pointed out they could not take statements made by Trump or any of his officials on the subject.
So much for the claim that Donald Trump’s strident campaign rhetoric about Muslims rendered him unfit to wield the powers of the presidency. The Supreme Court will have none of it.
That’s the bottom line in the justices’ blockbuster decision to back President Trump against a suit by Hawaii on the so-called Muslim travel ban, overruling the lower courts.
Not only that, but the decision was a major blow to the “judicial resistance” — the attempts by judges to constrain Mr. Trump’s clearly vested powers because they don’t like the president who’s wielding them.
The vote may have been a narrow five to four. It was backed up, though, by a thumping decision by Chief Justice Roberts, eviscerating claims by the judicial resistance to Mr. Trump.
Clarence Thomas, in a concurrence, went further. He called such orders “legally and historically dubious,” warning that if the lower courts continue using them, the Supremes would be “duty-bound” to adjudicate.
It remains to be seen if these activist judges will continue their illegal rulings. They do it at their own peril since SCOTUS has the votes to spank or remove them.