Politics

/

ArcaMax

Editorial: GOP must rediscover importance of judicial review

Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Review-Journal on

Published in Op Eds

Republicans have rightfully criticized Democrats in recent years for leaning on the Supreme Court in an effort to intimidate the justices into supporting a progressive agenda. It’s unfortunate that some members of the GOP now exhibit a similar intolerance for judicial independence.

Five years ago, Sen. Chuck Schumer stood in front of the Supreme Court building and threatened two justices if they backed abortion restrictions. “I want to tell you, (Neil) Gorsuch. I want to tell you, (Brett) Kavanaugh,” he said. “You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”

During President Joe Biden’s term, Democrats lined up to embrace court packing as a means of rigging judicial outcomes to their liking. The Senate Judiciary Committee launched “ethics” investigations focusing almost entirely on the conservative wing of the court. Some House progressives sought to impeach Justice Clarence Thomas.

Republicans roundly attacked these efforts to manipulate justice and undermine confidence in the court. “Senate Democrats have repeatedly told the American people that the entire federal judiciary exists for no other reason than to fulfill their changing political whims,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in 2023. “They’ve threatened justices by name from the steps of the court and threatened the institution itself in unfriendly amicus briefs. In each instance, Democrats have signaled their open disdain for a body that refuses to interpret the Constitution through the lens of their party’s platform.”

 

Alas, now that Donald Trump occupies the White House, a handful of Republicans have developed brain lock over the value of an independent judiciary. Judges who have ruled against the administration have been the target of increasing vitriol. One Tennessee congressman has filed articles of impeachment against the federal judge who overturned Trump’s 90-day freeze on foreign aid spending.

This is ridiculous and counterproductive — not to mention a mirror image of the regrettable intimidation tactics that the GOP denounced when used by Democrats. Expressing disagreement with a judge’s reasoning is one thing. Advocating impeachment as a response to that disagreement is quite another. The proper response to an unfavorable judicial ruling is an appeal. Impeachment must be reserved for cases involving serious misconduct or corruption, not trotted out as a cudgel to threaten federal jurists for doing their jobs.

Judicial review is an indispensable part of the checks and balances embedded in the Constitution as a protection against tyranny. Efforts to weaken the concept will lead to an erosion in the liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. It would be encouraging if both Democrats and Republicans kept that in mind.


©2025 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Visit reviewjournal.com.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

Comments


 

Related Channels

ACLU

ACLU

By The ACLU
Amy Goodman

Amy Goodman

By Amy Goodman
Armstrong Williams

Armstrong Williams

By Armstrong Williams
Austin Bay

Austin Bay

By Austin Bay
Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro

By Ben Shapiro
Betsy McCaughey

Betsy McCaughey

By Betsy McCaughey
Bill Press

Bill Press

By Bill Press
Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

By Bonnie Jean Feldkamp
Cal Thomas

Cal Thomas

By Cal Thomas
Christine Flowers

Christine Flowers

By Christine Flowers
Clarence Page

Clarence Page

By Clarence Page
Danny Tyree

Danny Tyree

By Danny Tyree
David Harsanyi

David Harsanyi

By David Harsanyi
Debra Saunders

Debra Saunders

By Debra Saunders
Dennis Prager

Dennis Prager

By Dennis Prager
Dick Polman

Dick Polman

By Dick Polman
Erick Erickson

Erick Erickson

By Erick Erickson
Froma Harrop

Froma Harrop

By Froma Harrop
Jacob Sullum

Jacob Sullum

By Jacob Sullum
Jamie Stiehm

Jamie Stiehm

By Jamie Stiehm
Jeff Robbins

Jeff Robbins

By Jeff Robbins
Jessica Johnson

Jessica Johnson

By Jessica Johnson
Jim Hightower

Jim Hightower

By Jim Hightower
Joe Conason

Joe Conason

By Joe Conason
Joe Guzzardi

Joe Guzzardi

By Joe Guzzardi
John Micek

John Micek

By John Micek
John Stossel

John Stossel

By John Stossel
Josh Hammer

Josh Hammer

By Josh Hammer
Judge Andrew Napolitano

Judge Andrew Napolitano

By Judge Andrew P. Napolitano
Laura Hollis

Laura Hollis

By Laura Hollis
Marc Munroe Dion

Marc Munroe Dion

By Marc Munroe Dion
Michael Barone

Michael Barone

By Michael Barone
Michael Reagan

Michael Reagan

By Michael Reagan
Mona Charen

Mona Charen

By Mona Charen
Oliver North and David L. Goetsch

Oliver North and David L. Goetsch

By Oliver North and David L. Goetsch
R. Emmett Tyrrell

R. Emmett Tyrrell

By R. Emmett Tyrrell
Rachel Marsden

Rachel Marsden

By Rachel Marsden
Rich Lowry

Rich Lowry

By Rich Lowry
Robert B. Reich

Robert B. Reich

By Robert B. Reich
Ruben Navarrett Jr

Ruben Navarrett Jr

By Ruben Navarrett Jr.
Ruth Marcus

Ruth Marcus

By Ruth Marcus
S.E. Cupp

S.E. Cupp

By S.E. Cupp
Salena Zito

Salena Zito

By Salena Zito
Star Parker

Star Parker

By Star Parker
Stephen Moore

Stephen Moore

By Stephen Moore
Susan Estrich

Susan Estrich

By Susan Estrich
Ted Rall

Ted Rall

By Ted Rall
Terence P. Jeffrey

Terence P. Jeffrey

By Terence P. Jeffrey
Tim Graham

Tim Graham

By Tim Graham
Tom Purcell

Tom Purcell

By Tom Purcell
Veronique de Rugy

Veronique de Rugy

By Veronique de Rugy
Victor Joecks

Victor Joecks

By Victor Joecks
Wayne Allyn Root

Wayne Allyn Root

By Wayne Allyn Root

Comics

Ed Gamble Tom Stiglich Bob Gorrell Drew Sheneman Eric Allie A.F. Branco