Posted on 05/02/2015 8:02:26 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
This has been a week of surprises from Chief Justice John Roberts. Wednesday he joined the Courts more liberal members in a 5-4 decision in a significant First Amendment case. Tuesday at the argument in Obergefell v. Hodges, the marriage equality cases, he suggested that a ban on same-sex marriage might present a straightforward question of sexual discrimination. These superficially surprising moves support Robertss oft-repeated claim that he believes the Justices should decide cases based on the law, not politics.
But as Robertss tenth term as Chief Justice comes to a close, the biggest tests of that claim are still to come in the Courts decisions in Obergefell and in King, the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While no one can know for sure what Roberts will do in those cases, theres a good chance that hell remain unpredictable into June.
In Wednesdays decision in Williams-Yulee v. Florida Bar, Roberts surprised Court watchers when he joined the Courts more liberal members to hold that the First Amendment permits Florida to ban judicial candidates from personally soliciting campaign funds.
Roberts wrote for the Court that [a] State may assure its people that judges will apply the law without fear or favorand without having personally asked anyone for money. This was a big deal, and a relative bombshell by the Chief Justice. In the first decade of the Roberts Court, almost every term has had a significant decision sharply limiting campaign finance legislation, and Roberts has been in the majority in all of them. Last year, in McCutcheon v. FEC, he wrote the opinion striking down federal limits on aggregate campaign contributions, stating that the $123,000 limit per two-year election cycle seriously restrict[s] participation in the democratic process
(Excerpt) Read more at newrepublic.com ...
He does whatever Obama tells him to do.
He is bought and paid for!
A closet communists Democrat.
Left creep, by a creep!
Drifting? More like an avalanche!
Does a bear........
Aint no ‘drift’ about it....Ever since Ocare travesty it has been apparent that someone has the goods on him ( either that or he is taking drugs)
what until the Burgwell case. TNR will be crying then.
Lost his principles, with what ever they nailed him for.
Complete coward & traitor!
Would love for him to grow a pair. But ears cut them off. Marxism, destroying one country after another. At least China lets their smal businesses alone. No stupid fee’s or taxation.
To the freepers on attack. Go do your homework... Then go pound sand!
Yea. Who picked him I wonder!!!! who picked Souter!!! JEEZ!!! there are a billion hardcore lifetime conservatives to pick but they got these two?? how???
Both Bush’s pick were more Liberal-Moderates than Conservatives. There was a push back by Conservatives to Bush’s 2nd pick so he backed down and picked a Conservative
Roberts was solid for awhile. The court kicked butt on Campaign Finance and 2nd amendment. He is somehow compromised now, since Obamacare. He originally was on the same side as Scalia and the conservatives and authored the original majority decision, which evolved into the dissent. Something changed that May or June that altered him completely as a Justice.
Cacatne ursus en sylvius?
I’m on the road and don’t have easy access to the information, but I distinctly remember years ago that a conservative law firm was about to argue a case about homosexuality in federal court. In preparing for the case, they needed a foil as practice to argue against and represent the other side. Their choice? John Roberts
I was against his selection from the beginning. (I was in favor of Samuel Alito’s selection.)
drifting?
I can think of a few good reasons:
He must be one of the judges that Valerie Jarrett said was “ready to go.”
I don’t get what happened. My heart may have gotten a little softer as I aged but I am still conservative to the bone. How do these people change so much on such important issues.
And anyone who paid the 100 bucks know what is going on with the fight lol.
I remember that, too. I don’t know whether W was just trying to pick so-called moderates for the court or whether he was just being used by someone else, say Cheney.
Reagan gave us Kennedy so sometimes it is just an accident. Bush 41 gave us Souter — ugh — but that was probably on purpose. Conservatives need to stop being such suckers.
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