Conservatives were outraged eight years ago when Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts voted with the liberals on the court to uphold Obamacare's individual mandate. His swing almost singlehandedly saved the Affordable Care Act. A few years removed and he made a few better decisions, somewhat appeasing conservatives. But last year he helped kill the census citizenship question. Then, last week, he voted with liberals to reject President Trump's attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The court didn't say that Trump couldn't reverse the program, but that his legal reasoning wasn't up to par.
But it was Roberts's vote on this Monday morning that convinced conservatives he will never be on their side, and regret that President George W. Bush ever uttered his name. Justice Roberts has sided with the court's liberals again, this time striking down a Louisiana abortion law that required abortionists to acquire admitting privileges from nearby hospitals. Yet again, it was a razor-thin 5-4 ruling.
Unreal. Justice Roberts just voted with the four liberals on an abortion case because of stare decisis... The precedent he's upholding is from a case just four years ago, that he dissented on. If he thought the Court got it wrong four years ago, today was his chance to correct it
— Ryan T. Anderson (@RyanTAnd) June 29, 2020
Roberts has destroyed any credibility the Court may have had. He’s a disgrace.https://t.co/h1UglAODkV
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) June 29, 2020
John Roberts is an empty black robe who wants to be loved by liberals who believe in legislating from the bench. Mr. Chief Justice, if you want to be a legislator, resign and run for Congress. But at any rate, just resign! https://t.co/jqrLvfgAZq
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 29, 2020
Is John Roberts the worst GOP pick for the court in modern times? Discuss.
— Doug Stafford (@dougstafford) June 29, 2020
Some argued that Justice David Souter was still the worst GOP-appointed SCOTUS justice, but agreed that Roberts is giving him a run for his money.
Pro-life conservative groups called Roberts's vote a "bitter disappointment" and a setback.
“Today’s ruling is a bitter disappointment,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “It demonstrates once again the failure of the Supreme Court to allow the American people to protect the well-being of women from the tentacles of a brutal and profit-seeking abortion industry.
Like other concerned conservatives, Dannenfelser said that maintaining the White House and the Senate are now more imperative than ever.
“Today’s ruling reinforces just how important Supreme Court judges are to advancing the pro-life cause," she explained. "It is imperative that we re-elect President Trump and our pro-life majority in the U.S. Senate so we can further restore the judiciary, most especially the Supreme Court. President Trump, assisted by the pro-life Senate majority, is keeping his promise to appoint constitutionalist Supreme Court justices and other federal judges. This is evidenced by Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, who joined with Justices Thomas and Alito and dissented from today’s ruling."