Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has always been one to criticize conservatives on the Supreme Court, but today she went one step further, calling for their impeachment on X.
This was in response to the court voting 6-3 to protect presidential immunity. The court ruled that “under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of presidential power entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority. And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts.”
Yet Ocasio-Cortez’s statement captures all the irony it possibly can. She says the court is experiencing “authoritarian capture,” yet she is waiting to remedy this problem with impeachment articles upon its return. How big of an emergency can she imagine the problem is if she will not work on an emergency declaration? If you believe this is a crisis, act as if it’s a crisis. Ocasio-Cortez is instead failing to represent her own beliefs. She is grandstanding and treating it as a crisis while enjoying her vacation.
This grandstanding is an actual assault on our system. Questioning the legitimacy of American institutions simply because you disagree with them is incredibly dangerous, particularly as someone with considerable influence. This behavior is indicative of someone who does not take their oath to the Constitution seriously and doesn’t belong anywhere near a position of authority. Her attempt to make a spectacle such as this is disgusting.
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People will staunchly defend her, arguing that despite accusations of corruption stemming from justices accepting gifts from external sources, the institution has responded transparently and responsibly. The court openly acknowledged the problem and implemented a rigorous ethics code to address it. While the necessity of such a code is regrettable, the justices navigated the reform process with dignity and transparency. They welcomed scrutiny from the press, facilitating investigations and inviting constructive criticism — a testament to their commitment to democratic principles in governance.
She has the full right to levy criticism and be angry about its decisions, but her blatant attack on the legitimacy of the institution is a problem. Ocasio-Cortez is misleading the public by making them think there is corruption or foul play within the court’s actions. She is saying that because they did something she disagrees with, it can invalidate the constitutional mandate these justices are following. This type of rhetoric is both dangerous to the court and, should it become more widespread, dangerous to the foundations of politics. Respect for the foundations of our country and the Constitution is fundamental.
