In testimony before the US Senate Judiciary Committee former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor yesterday explained a certain principle:
Leahy [Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont] wanted to know what O'Connor thought about critics who called [Chief Justice John] Roberts a traitor to conservative ideals and accused him of betraying President George W. Bush, who appointed Roberts to the high court.
She replied: "It's unfortunate because I think comments like that demonstrate only too well a lack of understanding some of our citizens have about the role of the judicial branch." Federal judges owe their only allegiance to the Constitution, O'Connor said in a defense of judicial independence.
Is there really such ignorance about the principle of judicial independence and the role of the Supreme Court? For me that's a bit like this, only without the space travel component. (Also here.)
