Following rulings that halted the GOP’s unlawful extremist agenda, state Republican lawmakers are looking to seize power from the courts
WASHINGTON — While President Trump makes headlines for railing against federal judges and putting us on track for a potential constitutional crisis, it is clear Republicans’ contempt for the rule of law extends beyond the beltway. State Republicans are taking a page out of Trump’s playbook and retaliating against court rulings they don’t agree with by pushing legislation that threatens the power of judges at the state and local level as well. Electing Democrats who respect the law and checks and balances is the only way to protect democracy and progress.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“State Republicans are hard at work carrying out Trump’s toxic agenda across the states, including attacking the judiciary. Chipping away at the rule of law is the strategy of power-hungry politicians who know they can’t win by playing by the rules – unfortunately, rigging the system has become a core tenet of the GOP’s playbook. While Republicans bypass the courts to stack the odds in their favor, Democrats remain committed to serving their communities.”
Here’s a snapshot of state Republicans working to undermine the courts:
- After a Montana court blocked legislation that would have restricted abortion access, Republicans pushed bills that rejected judicial review, the concept where judges can declare laws unconstitutional. Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee Republicans introduced similar legislation to weaken the courts.
- When a Missouri judge issued rulings in favor of an abortion rights ballot measure and marijuana legalization, a GOP lawmaker proposed legislation to oust the judge.
- Following Utah Supreme Court rulings that blocked Republicans’ power-grab and extreme bills on abortion and LGBTQ+ freedom, Republicans attempted to seize power through a series of bills that threatened the judiciary’s independence. The Senate-passed legislation giving the governor and the Senate control of picking the Chief Justice.
- Wisconsin Republicans want to undermine the will of voters and gerrymander the courts with a bill that would allow judge shopping by allowing lawsuits against state officials in large blue counties to move to rural counties with more conservative judges.
- Kansas Republicans’ hopes to undermine reproductive freedom and underfund public schools were dashed by the state’s courts, so they responded with a bill to strip state Supreme Court appointment powers from the Democratic governor.
The DLCC is the official arm of the Democratic Party with the sole mission of building Democratic power in the states and setting the national agenda at the state level. Over the last decade, we have fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and we are leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
###
