General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDo you foresee Chief Justice Roberts EVER taking control of his court?
Or at this point is that even feasible?
Most Americans, according to polls, have little to no confidence in SCOTUS.
Thomas has been out of line for some time and he and his wife have shown nothing but contempt of the rule of law.
jimfields33
(15,974 posts)You think those three liberals want to be ruled by Roberts? Nope and the other five probably dont either.
Historic NY
(37,453 posts)enough
(13,262 posts)Each Justice is fully empowered.
He has to know any decision regarding 1/6/21 which Thomas decides is going to be viewed as tainted. No idea if he can force Thomas to recuse himself from those cases but if he can he should. If Thomas refuses or he cannot force him to then I think Roberts should send out a statement before they hear arguments of those cases stating he believes a member should have been recused. Not a lawyer so no idea if that is a legal option.
Ace Rothstein
(3,184 posts)CatWoman
(79,302 posts)Ace Rothstein
(3,184 posts)It isn't his job to shape their opinions.
Tetrachloride
(7,876 posts)Roberts would need to be centrist as well.
Lovie777
(12,330 posts)He's RWer.
hlthe2b
(102,378 posts)resentment since his nomination to the court that, Roberts, nominated almost the same time received the nod for the Chief Justice position, not him. The scuttlebutt I've seen alluded to by court watchers and whatever leaks come out of SCOTUS from former clerks is that Alito is a constant back-stabber to Roberts--on nearly any issue so as to weaken him. And it has worked. Robert's last-minute change of vote to save Obamacare is the weapon Alito keeps on wielding.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)No one controls the SC, but Alito would love to try. He's as dangerous to the SC as Trump is to the Executive branch.
If I were Roberts I'd keep one eye on Alito at all times.
Ohio Joe
(21,761 posts)It makes a lot of sense though.
Ocelot II
(115,869 posts)His function is mainly administrative, and whatever power he does have is mostly in the function of assigning opinions. Apart from that, all he can do is try to persuade - he can't reprimand or punish other justices and he certainly can't fire them. I hope he corners Thomas in the men's room pretty soon and asks him what the actual fuck he and Ginni are up to, but Thomas can tell him to just bugger off. There's not much Roberts can do to round up this cat herd.
CatWoman
(79,302 posts)I like the way you put that
njhoneybadger
(3,910 posts)dlk
(11,578 posts)He said and did nothing when Clarence Thomas wouldnt recuse from a case involving his wife. And it doesnt look like the leaker of the Alito draft memo will ever be revealed, likely because the leaker is a prominent Republican. (Are you listening Ginny?)
CatWoman
(79,302 posts)dlk
(11,578 posts)It was someone consequential, otherwise the leakers name would have been revealed by now. Republicans have corrupted and broken the Supreme Court and it will be up to Democrats to fix it.
Baitball Blogger
(46,758 posts)If public opinion radically changes against the hard right nutcases, and calls for removal of public servants who are hard right that acted in bad faith, and against our Constitution and Democracy.
inthewind21
(4,616 posts)How many times have you seen public opinion move anything lately?
Baitball Blogger
(46,758 posts)in their police actions. Stop and frisks, which Scalia was mostly responsible for, is no longer considered good police practices. Not sure why someone doesn't do a research paper on the topic of how we're knocking down that line of thinking, using public opinion.
So, it could happen.