By Krystal Ball
Opinion Contributor
As our President goes to war with the courts, it appears that Republicans nationwide are paying attention. For example, in what appears to be an historically unprecedented maneuver, the Republican controlled state house of West Virginia has impeached the entire Supreme Court. Those justices stand accused of wasteful spending, among other things. But what is really wild here is the way that this was executed by the Republican dominated legislature.
The key date to remember here is August 14th. Under West Virginia law, if these Justices were impeached and removed before August 14th, then voters would get to decide on who would fill those seats. After August 14th, Republican Governor Jim Justice would get to appoint replacements. So while the allegations against these Supreme Court Justices were known for months, Republicans waited until August 14th. In other words they waited until they could be certain that it would be the Republican governor and not voters who would get to pick new justices for the court. This week the West Virginia Senate set the rules for the upcoming trials of the impeached justices.
Now this is a stunning development for West Virginia but it is a deeply troubling development for the entire country. Here’s why. In the age of Trump, we have witnessed an unprecedented attack on the judiciary across the country. According to the non-partisan Brennan Center for Justice, 16 states have considered 51 bills that would undermine the judiciary. This is new. But none has gone as far as West Virginia. For context, in one day, West Virginia impeached more justices than have been impeached in the entire country over the last 25 years. Where Trump has led, Republican legislatures have followed.
Krystal Ball is the co-host of “Rising,” Hill.TV’s morning news show.
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