Chief Justice John Roberts defends judiciary from 'illegitimate' attacks
In his annual end-of-year report, Roberts said the independence of the judiciary is threatened by threats of violence, harassment, disinformation and defiance of court rulings.
WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday blasted what he called "illegitimate activity" aimed at undermining the independence of the judiciary.
While facing criticism of contentious court rulings is part of the job for judges, some recent actions have crossed the line, Roberts said in his annual end-of-year report.
He outlined four areas of concern: violence, intimidation, disinformation and threats to defy court judgments.
All four "undermine our Republic, and are wholly unacceptable," Roberts wrote.
He did not specify many concrete 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 case.
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