The hypocrisy of a group of Republicans who are supporting the lawsuit against Obama's recess appointments
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There is something deliciously hypocritical about the brief letter 40 Senate Republicans made public Friday announcing their intention to file a "friend of the court" brief in one of the federal lawsuits challenging President Barack Obama's recent recess appointments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the National Labor Relations Board. The gang that decries "judicial activism" at every opportunity now wants the federal courts to activate on their behalf to broker a political dispute between the executive and legislative branches.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) signed the letter. In June 2010, he said he was worried that United States Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan would not show a proper amount of "judicial restraint." Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) also signed. He's the former judge who wondered aloud in 2010 whether courthouse violence wasn't linked in some way to judges who make "political decisions." Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) signed, too. Last year, he said that the "Constitution belongs to the people, not to judges."
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is also on board. In 2005, decrying "judicial activism," he proclaimed that "all legislative power belongs to Congress." And Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), too. He voted against both of President Obama's Supreme Court nominations because of what he called "increasing judicial activism in this country." Sen Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina)? He signed, too. In 2010, he said "all of us abhor judicial activism because it's a threat to society in general when an unelected judge takes on a role outside of their sphere."