Republicans Work Quietly To Strip State Judicial Branches Of Power

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Feature Image via Pixabay

Republicans Work Quietly To Strip State Judicial Branches Of Power.

It has become quite evident that Republicans are willing to fight dirty to get what they want in politics. Time and again, if the GOP can’t win fair and square, they seem to cheat to achieve their desired ends.

Republicans from one side of the country to the other are working diligently to strip states’ judicial branches of their ability to effectively retain a system of true checks and balances.

In fact, the GOP introduced 42 different bills in 17 separate states that attempt that very thing.

Here are a few to watch closely:

PENNSYLVANIA

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled recently that the state’s Congressional maps “clearly, plainly, and palpably,” violated the state’s Constitution. This case is one of many cases involving cheating gerrymandering around the country.

Republicans, of course, attempted to block the ruling at the Supreme Court level. The Justices refused, and Pennsylvania lawmakers submitted a newly drawn map as reported by Reuters, but Governor Tom Wolf (D) rejected it.

Because they refuse to play fair, Republicans retaliated swiftly with a cheap shot. State Rep. Cris Dush (R) for the 66th district circulated a letter calling for the impeachment of the five justices who ruled the maps unconstitutional.

“The five Justices who signed this order that blatantly and clearly contradicts the plain language of the Pennsylvania Constitution, engaged in misbehavior in office. Each is guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from office and disqualification to hold any office or trust or profit under this Commonwealth.”

NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina takes the prize for the state with the most bills seeking to weaken its judiciary, and the state’s gerrymandering case is as out of control as Pennsylvania’s. North Carolina Judges ordered the Republican-dominated legislators to redraw 13 maps they found to be unconstitutional.

Additionally, other bills currently in play include some terrifying examples of Republicans’ desperate grab for power.

  • One attempts to reduce a judge’s term from four years to two. This law would force them to be in re-election mode continually.
  • Another bill wants to redraw judicial districts. The reason for this is that it would strip the current Democratic Governor of power to appoint justices which would enable the Republican-controlled General Assembly to pick their own.

Pennsylvania and North Carolina are only the tips of a very ugly iceberg, however.

“As Republicans have taken over and maintained their stranglehold on state and local governments, they have sought to rig any and all branches of those governments in their favor,” wrote Jenn Bud for CrooksandLiars. “From voter gerrymandering to school districts, republicans have been steadily manipulating every institution that they can get their grubby little hands on.”

Although this isn’t a complete list, a few important cases everyone should observe include:

  • Oklahoma – Legislation on the table there proposes only to allow a judicial nominee that they approve of to run. Another bizarre bill moves to force any judge to retire once their age and years of service add up to 80.
  • Some bills seek to limit the judiciary by limiting resources and budgets which would eventually cause untold chaos.
  • Other proposals attempt to make it illegal for the courts to determine the constitutionality of laws passed by state legislators. If these laws pass, those states would be without anyone to hold Republicans back from running rampant.

Other states with these laws on the books include Iowa, Hawaii, Alaska, New Mexico, Florida, and Missouri.

CHECKS AND BALANCES BE DAMNED

The Republicans love to peddle the Constitution when it fits their agenda. However, they prove over and over again that there isn’t a single one of them willing to place country over party. They don’t give a damn about the Constitution, and they certainly don’t give a damn about the carefully crafted system of checks and balances they seek to destroy.

With these proposed laws they prove yet again, they are willing to sink to any level at all the achieve their ends.


Feature Image via Pixabay.