End impeachment war on judges
Justice at Stake Executive Director Bert Brandenburg released a statement blasting Iowa organizers who vowed to impeach the state’s four remaining Supreme Court justices.
After Iowa voters ousted three high-court justices after a unanimous decision in 2009 permitting same-sex marriage, Brandenburg said the debate moved from the legal definition of marriage to dangers of impeaching justices.
“Impeaching judges to redress political grievances would trigger a political circus that would paralyze government and undermine courts,” Brandenburg wrote. “Witch hunts against judges could also threaten state economies by driving out investments that create jobs, since businesses count on stable courts to settle disputes.”
Brandenburg warns Americans there are deeper reasons to avoid going to war with the justices.
“Impeachments of judges were not designed as a tool for this kind of political disagreement, and the reason is essential to our democracy,” Brandenburg wrote. “If courts can’t make tough calls, they won’t be able to uphold the Constitution and protect our rights.”
The American Judicature Society released a statement warning the impeachment process of justices undermines the country’s founders’ vision “... of an an independent and impartial judicial branch that would guarantee equal access to justice for all citizens, even if their cause is politically unpopular.”
Brandenburg points to the most recent controversial ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, the 5-4 Citizens United ruling that allowed corporations to donate campaign contributions. Had the Senate and House Democrats decided to try and oust the five justices who voted for the ruling, the trials would have shut down the government and spread fear that judges should follow their opinions and polls.
