christian grantham
Christian Grantham was a student activist in the late 90s and later was a consultant to domestic policy forums for the Clinton Administration as well as events for HRC and GLAAD.
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April 10, 2005

Republicans Launch Congressional Assault on Judiciary

The Texas Republican on Friday suggested an impeachment case could be made against judges who rebuffed Congress' will in the Schiavo case. As the severely brain-damaged Florida woman faded, Congress passed a law allowing federal courts to review the decisions of state judges who turned down her parents' efforts to resume her feeding. But state and federal judges all the way up to the Supreme Court upheld those decisions.

Arguing that federal courts had "run amok," largely because Congress failed to confront them, DeLay said: "Judicial independence does not equal judicial supremacy."
[DeLay in Hot Water Again - FOXnews - 4-10-05]

The Republicans said the strategy combines leaks from DeLay allies about questionable Democratic trips and financial matters; denunciations of unfavorable news stories as biased, orchestrated rehashes; and swift, organized responses to journalists' inquiries.

The resistance was launched two weeks ago when DeLay flew back to Washington from Texas during Easter recess to speak to a group of about 30 conservative leaders who had gathered in the conference room of the Family Research Council for a call to arms on his behalf.
[DeLay's Backers Launch Offense - Washington Post - 04-10-05]

What Rep. DeLay is attempting to do is to inflame religious passions to further his reckless and destructive assault on the courts. He argued at the conference that federal courts have "run amok" largely because Congress has failed to control them. He said the proper response "is to reassert (Congress') constitutional authority over the courts."

But Congress doesn't have that authority, beyond narrowly defined roles such as Senate confirmation of federal judges and impeachment powers in the case of criminal behavior. Otherwise, judicial independence is a cornerstone of the constitutional separation of powers that defines the American system of checks and balances. Conservatives should understand that.
[Tom DeLay's jihad - Louisville Courier-Journal - 04-10-05]