Posted on 05/29/2025 1:22:58 PM PDT by george76
Full story House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Congress could eliminate a federal district court as Republicans continue criticizing judges who have blocked President Trump’s agenda. Republicans say judges have overstepped their constitutional authority. Article Three of the Constitution allows Congress to “ordain and establish” lower courts. Johnson said the House will vote next week on a bill to eliminate nationwide injunctions. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Congress could eliminate a federal district court as Republicans continue criticizing judges who have blocked President Donald Trump’s agenda.
“We do have authority over the federal courts. As you know, we can –– we can eliminate an entire district court,” Johnson told reporters Tuesday morning, March 25. “We have the power of funding over the courts and all these other things. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and Congress is going to act.”
Johnson later walked back his comment and said he was speaking broadly about Congress’ authority over the courts.
Article Three of the Constitution states, “The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”
Not all Republicans support defunding or cutting the amount of funding courts receive. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told NBC News that would create a massive backlog, adding it would be better to get more conservative judges confirmed.
President Trump has fiercely criticized judges who have issued injunctions or blocks on his policies in recent days. The president called for a district court judge to be impeached and shared an essay online that made the case for charging judges who oppose him with treason and sedition.
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, introduced articles of impeachment against District Court Judge James Boasberg after he put a restraining order on deportation flights of alleged Venezuelan gang members. Republicans argue Boasberg exceeded his constitutional authority by blocking the president from carrying out his immigration agenda.
Republicans also oppose the use of nationwide injunctions, which allow a single district court judge who covers a specific region to block an action across the country.
“But something is happening right now that has not happened before in the last 100 years,” Johnson said. “Listen to this –– 67% of the injunctions issued against a president were issued against one president alone, and that’s Donald J. Trump.”
The House Judiciary Committee is working on legislation that would ban nationwide injunctions. Johnson said the full House will vote on the bill next week.
“It is a dangerous trend, and it violates equal justice under law, that critical principle. It violates our system itself; it violates separation of powers,” Johnson said. “When a judge thinks that they can enjoin something that a president is doing that the American people voted for, that is not what the founders intended.”
Congress has abolished federal courts in the past, most recently in 1982, when it shut down the Court of Claims. It has made changes on numerous other occasions dating back to 1892.
Finally!
And monkeys could fly out my butt.
Yes. The lower courts are the creation of legislation, they are not creations of the Supreme Court. What legislation has created legislation can alter or delete.
Hasn’t he implied that for 2 months now?!?
“””Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Congress could eliminate a federal district court “””
“”could”” WON’T
So get to it, Mike!
"When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk."
-Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez (Known as "The Rat")
Free beer tomorrow!
They COULD do something! But of course, right now that is impossible because of the DC Thursday rule. You can only begin that process on the second Thursday of the month and this is the LAST Thursday of the month.
But it cannot be the second Thursday of June because they will be taking up the critical issue of reforming the 1954 sardine and anchovy fishery act at that time.
But if things go well, it might be able to be considered in October... of 2026...
Clown...
Getting more conservative justices confirmed? Years or decades.
Disestablish one district court and set up another? Days to legislate into reality, couple months to implement, INSTANT chilling effect on activist Federal judges.
Shut up, Hawley.
Eliminate DC. Democrats in Congress gave the DC Swamp its own district in the 1970s. It was never supposed to have a district. If there is anything the DC Swamp has proven it is that the DC Swamp cannot be allowed to sit in judgment of the DC Swamp.
Keep saying that... maybe someday you'll actually back it up with action.
In the early days of the republic, Chief Justice Chase so angered Congress that they cut off all funding for SCOTUS except salaries. They had to meet in a coffee shop.
s/b
Congress could eliminate 267 federal district courts!
Sure... We can see how strong the republican party is by passing the pork-laden boondoggle of a “big beautiful bill.”
Every judge whose opinion is overturned on final appeal, should face automatic impeachment for incompetence.
He ain’t got the stones.
Because of course he did.
right “Congress could eliminate a federal district court “
Yeah don’t hold your breath. They don’t have the stones and I think it would be subject to filibuster in the Senate.
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