Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday said that criticism of the Supreme Court “does not affect how we do our work,” adding that the nation’s highest court doesn’t “go about our work in a political manner.”
Speaking to a crowd of roughly 2,000 at Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center in New York City, Roberts said criticism of the court is “often based on a misperception” that the justices are always divided 5-4 along partisan lines, according to CNN.
{mosads}“It does not affect how we do our work. We will continue to decide cases according to the Constitution and laws without fear or favor,” Roberts said. “That’s necessary to avoid the politicization of the court.”
Roberts pointed to some Supreme Court rulings in which justices appointed by both Democrats and Republicans have come down on different sides.
“The point is when you live in a politically polarized environment, people tend to see everything in those terms,” Roberts said, according to the news outlet. “That is not how we at the court function, and the results of our cases do not suggest otherwise.”
Roberts’s remarks came just hours after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that House Democrats had launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump.
Roberts would not directly discuss the impeachment process or the current divide in Congress.
Roberts noted that he “respects” the other branches of government and understands “they have their jobs to do.” He added that the job of the court is to “interpret the law and ensure compliance with the Constitution.”
Regarding the confirmation of two new Supreme Court justices since Trump has taken office, Roberts said all the justices are “engaged in the same enterprise” and that they have developed a bond.
“I don’t want to make it sound like we are around the campfire singing Kumbaya,” he said.
A moment of lightheartedness came when Roberts discussed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s “rock star” persona and her now-famous workout regimen.
“Now, she has so much less to push up I don’t think that’s fair,” he said regarding a question about who could do more push-ups.
“I can comfortably say I can bench press her weight and she can’t bench press mine,” Roberts quipped.