(Screenshot via PBS NewsHour/YouTube)
At a time when large majorities of Americans have lost faith in government, does the fact that the chief justice is presiding over an impeachment trial in which Republican senators have thus far refused to allow witnesses or evidence contribute to the loss of legitimacy of the chief justice, the Supreme Court, and the Constitution?
— Chief Justice John Roberts, reading aloud a question for the House managers asked by Senator Elizabeth Warren that put him in an uncomfortable position on day two of the Senate’s question-and-answer session in Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Lead House manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) responded diplomatically, noting, “I would not say that it contributes to a loss of confidence in the chief justice. I think the chief justice has presided admirably.”
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.