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There's a Major Problem With Pelosi's Latest Attack on the Supreme Court

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  June 26, 2024 8:00 AM

Former President Trump altered the political makeup of the Supreme Court, shifting its ideological leanings rightward. The left, no longer on the receiving end of decisions that align with their policy preferences, has since sought to undermine the court’s legitimacy. They’ve explored court packing, acted in defiance of decisions (think Biden’s student loan handouts), and have been targeting certain justices over what they claim are ethics violations. It has been a coordinated effort among Democrat politicians and left-wing media outlets. 

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently did her part in an interview with CNN as the nation awaits major decisions that will be handed down this week. 

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: Do you have confidence in the Supreme Court? I mean, the -- they have yet to rule on this immunity thing, all this thing about Alito and the flags, and Clarence Thomas and his wife. I mean, do you have confidence in the Supreme Court?
 
REP. NANCY PELOSI: No, I think they have gone rogue. It's most unfortunate.
 
But it's unfortunate further to see what the other justices -- what happened to the -- what happened to the chief justice? Did he go weak or did he go rogue? I don't know. And that's the same thing with these members of Congress, if I can take it back to that, because, as tragic as that night was -- and they were coming after me to put a bullet in my head. They were going to hang the -- have a gallows for the vice president of the United States.
 
But just a matter of hours, when I called people back to the floor, overwhelmingly, the Republicans voted against the results of the Electoral College. That was almost as heartbreaking and devastating as to see what those slobs that came in with their Confederate Flags and their Nazi flags and the rest of what they came in to do to the Capitol of the United States.
 
So, no, I don't have confidence in the Supreme Court. I think that some of the decisions they have -- see, I respect their point of view. If they have a point of view about a woman's right to choose, OK, but that's not what they're there to do, to advocate for a point of view. Run for Congress.
 
They're there to uphold the Constitution of the United States. And many of them said -- in their hearings for confirmation, they said that they supported, they supported the precedents of the court, the precedents of the court, supported the privacy in the Constitution.
 
And what did they do? They vote their opinion on policy, rather than the oath of office to uphold the Constitution of the United States. So, I want us to get back to a place where the three branches of government, as our founders initiated, are respected across the board.
 
But I don't have a lot of confidence in this court, unfortunately. I say that with a heavy heart. (Transcript via RCP)

As George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley points out, however, Pelosi's claim doesn't jive with how the court has ruled in many recent cases.