Trump Blasts Supreme Court Justice for 'Inappropriate' Comment as He Continues India Visit
A fiery dissent issued last week by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in a case involving a Trump administration rule that makes it harder for immigrants to land on welfare drew an angry response from President Donald Trump.
Trump, who is currently in the midst of a visit to India, would later speak to the media Tuesday on a number of topics, including Sotomayor.
Sotomayor, an appointee of former President Barack Obama and part of the court’s liberal wing, issued a dissent in the decision that allowed the rule to go into effect while it was challenged in the courts.
In her dissent, Sotomayor criticized the court’s conservative wing for handing the administration victories when it sought relief from lower court injunctions that looked to stymie Trump.
“It is hard to say what is more troubling,” Sotomayor wrote, “that the Government would seek this extraordinary relief seemingly as a matter of course, or that the Court would grant it.”
Trump on Monday night (Tuesday morning in India) had tweeted his displeasure with Sotomayor, and also took a swipe at Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who has publicly criticized him.
“‘Sotomayor accuses GOP appointed Justices of being biased in favor of Trump.’ @IngrahamAngle@FoxNews This is a terrible thing to say,” Trump tweeted, likely referring to a segment on the Fox News program “The Ingraham Angle.”
“Trying to ‘shame’ some into voting her way? She never criticized Justice Ginsberg when she called me a ‘faker’. Both should recuse themselves on all Trump, or Trump related, matters! While ‘elections have consequences’, I only ask for fairness, especially when it comes to decisions made by the United States Supreme Court!” Trump added.
….on all Trump, or Trump related, matters! While “elections have consequences”, I only ask for fairness, especially when it comes to decisions made by the United States Supreme Court!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2020
Trump added to those comments while speaking to reporters Tuesday.
The root of his belief that the justices who publicly spoke out against him should recuse themselves was “very obvious,” Trump said, according to The Washington Post.
“I always thought, frankly, that Justice Ginsburg should do it, because she went wild during the campaign when I was running,” he said. “I don’t know who she was for — perhaps she was for Hillary Clinton, if you can believe it — but she said some things that were obviously very inappropriate.”
In July 2016, Ginsburg called then-candidate Trump a “faker,” adding, “He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment,” according to CNN.
“She later sort of apologized. I wouldn’t say it was an apology, but she sort of apologized,” Trump said Tuesday.
Trump also criticized Sotomayor, according to Fox News.
“I just thought it was so inappropriate, such a terrible statement for a Supreme Court justice,” he said. “She’s trying to shame people with perhaps a different view into voting her way, and that’s so inappropriate.”
“I just don’t know how they can not recuse themselves from anything having to do with Trump or Trump-related. The right thing to do is that,” Trump added.
“What Justice Sotomayor said yesterday was really highly inappropriate and everybody agrees to that. Virtually everybody. I’ve seen papers on it, people cannot believe that she said it.”
During his question-and-answer session with reporters, Trump was asked about media reports that Russia is working to help the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Some reports have also said Russia may be supporting Trump.
Trump said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff leaked an intelligence briefing, sparking the reports about Russia working to help Sanders.
“I think it was leaks from the intelligence committee,” he said, The Daily Caller reported. “And I think that they leaked it. I think probably Schiff leaked it but some people leaked it — Schiff leaked it, in my opinion. And he shouldn’t be leaking things like that.”
As for the rumors about Russia trying to aid his own re-election bid, Trump said, “I want no help from any country and I haven’t been given help from any country,” according to Reuters.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
