Chuck Grassley has some thoughts on Trump's attacks on judges

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said he had reservations about Chief Justice John Roberts' response to the controversial description made by President Donald Trump of a federal judge and court from the 9th district, and suggested that it was a hypocritical gesture based on his previous interactions with Trump's predecessor. .

"Chief Justice Roberts has reprimanded Trump for a comment he had made [about a] Judge's decision on asylum, "Grassley said in a tweet on Wednesday. I do not remember the leader who attacked Obama when that Prez reprimanded Alito during a state of the Union. "

Grassley, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, seemed to be referring to a speech on the state of the Union pronounced by Obama in 2010, in which Obama criticized the decisive decision of the Supreme Court 5-4 in l & # 39; 39, Citizens United v. United States Federal Election Commission. The decision eased the restrictions that prevented businesses and unions from funding unlimited political campaigns.

But Obama did not distinguish Judge Samuel Alito during his speech on the state of the Union. Obama has largely referred to the Supreme Court without mentioning names.

"Despite all the respect for the separation of powers, the Supreme Court has overthrown a century of law that I believe will pave the way for special interests – including foreign companies – to spend unlimited time in our elections," he said. said Obama at the time.

Alito seemed to have a visceral reaction to Obama's remarks during his speech, which were captured on video. He was seen shaking his head and saying a few words while Obama commented on the court's decision. Alito voted in favor of the decision and also joined the concurring opinions of Chief Justice John Roberts and Judge Antonin Scalia.

Roberts later alluded to the State of the Union address and questioned the presence of the Supreme Court in this context, refraining from criticizing Obama.

"There is the question of the framework, the circumstances and the decorum," Roberts told law school students at the University of Alabama, two months after Obama's speech. "The image of ensuring that members of a branch of government, standing, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, applaud and screaming, while the Court, in accordance with the requirements of the protocol, must remain there without expression , is very disturbing in my opinion.

"And that makes me think it's logical that we're here," Roberts added. "To the extent that the state of the Union has degenerated into a political protest, I do not know why we are there."

Although Obama may not have singled out a particular judge in his speech, as a former senator from Illinois in 2006, he criticized Alito and joined him reluctantly to a buccaneer led by the Democrats.

"I actually think that Judge Alito is someone who goes against fundamental American values, not just liberal values," Obama said in an interview with ABC News in New York. 2006, a few days before the final confirmation of Alito by the Supreme Court.

"When you review his decisions especially in wartime, we need an independent tribunal that will control the executive power, and he has not shown himself willing to do so repeatedly," he said. added Obama.

Read more: Trump appeals to Chief Justice John Roberts after reminding the president that judges are supposed to be independent

Reuters

Grassley's remark comes back and forth between Trump and the federal judiciary. On Monday, a federal judge from the Northern District of California put an end to Trump's move to limit the number of asylum-seeking migrants crossing the US-Mexico border at entry points.

The next day, Trump called the judge "Judge Obama" and stood up against the US Court of Appeals of the 9th Circuit, District Court of Northern California, suggesting that his decisions were inherently prejudicial.

"You're doing the 9th circuit and it's a shame," Trump said Tuesday. "And I'm going to file a major complaint because you can not win, if you're us, an affair in the 9th circuit and I think that's a shame."

Roberts responded to Trump's comments Wednesday by suggesting that the federal judiciary be free from any political bias.

"We do not have Obama judges, Trump judges, Bush or Clinton judges," Roberts said in a statement. "What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges who do their best to make an equal right to those who appear before them."

Trump subsequently retorted and reiterated his allegation that the 9th Circuit, the largest calling court overseeing the western United States, had suffered injury.

"Sorry, Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do have" Obama judges, "who have a very different perspective from those accused of the security of our country," Trump said on Twitter. "It would be great if the 9th circuit was indeed an" independent judiciary "but if that is why so many opposing cases (on borders and security) are being filed there and why a lot of these cases are canceled. "

"Please study the numbers, they are shocking," added Trump.

However, Democratic lawmakers praised Robert's statement and thanked him for taking a stand.

"Thank you Chief Justice Roberts for your powerful reprimand addressed to Trump – refuting his demagogic denunciation of an" Obama Judge, "said Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal on Twitter .: When the Story of That Period dark will be written, our independent judiciary (& press) will be the heroes.Our gratitude goes them this Thanksgiving. "