Gingrich: Activist Judges Should Be Arrested
EmailPresidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggested today that he would have the Capitol Police or U.S. Marshals arrest activist judges, citing an incident in which a sitting federal judge ordered students not use the word “benediction” in their high school graduation.
Gingrich, who currently leads the polls in the field vying for the Republican nomination, made the suggestion in response to a hypothetical scenario posed on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
“If you had to, or you’d instruct the Justice Department to send a U.S. Marshal,” he said. “Let’s take the case of Judge Biery. I think he should be asked to explain a position that radical.”
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery received harsh scrutiny from many in June for a ruling barring religious speech during the high school graduation ceremony at Medina Valley Independent School District in Texas. The ruling was quickly overturned by a federal appeals court, but Gingrich used the incident to launch a greater assault on what he said is a judiciary out of touch with mainstream values.
“So I have to ask the question, is there an alternative? What’s the recourse?” he said.
Gigrich also cited “The Federalist Papers” today to make his case for weakening the judicial branch.
“The constitution promises a balance of the judicial branch, executive branch and legislative branch,” he said. “‘The Federalist Papers’ say specifically the weakest of the three branches is the judiciary. [Thomas] Jefferson abolishes 18 out of 35 federal judges.”
Judges do not have the power to write new laws but are often criticized for overturning old laws or enacting new policy when lawsuits are successfully argued in court.
But in contrast to his hard-line position on judicial activism, Gingrich said he does not believe that all illegal immigrants should be arrested en mass.
“I do not believe the American people are going to send police out to round up folks who have been here 25 years,” Gingrich said.
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Newt is getting scary !! “Acivist judge” means someone they disagree with …. The balance of powers works fairly well as-is. These power grabbing GOP candidates are really trying to take things over the line.
Posted by: Mike | December 18, 2011, 8:28 pm 8:28 pm
LOL! ….. Newt’s stringing along the shallow-headed extreme right.
Posted by: Forrest Gump is DEFINITELY a Republican | December 18, 2011, 8:54 pm 8:54 pm
Gee. I can’t wait for his new ‘take back America’ slogan: “One Flag! One Nation! One Leader!”
Posted by: Rarerroneous | December 18, 2011, 9:00 pm 9:00 pm
Mr. Gingrich has a point which everyone should consider before giving him their vote. Basically, what he is saying is that judgements that he disagrees with he thinks he should have the Judge arrested and forced to back up their verdict. In other words, Mr. Gingrich wants to be a Dictator, not the President. Do the American people really want a Dictator?
Posted by: Mark | December 18, 2011, 9:00 pm 9:00 pm
But he’s fine with the Supreme Court’s Citizen United ruling. That was overreaching. Should they also be subject to arrest under the Newt Doctrine? Of course not. Leave them completely alone and add a constitutional amendment overturning the ruling and banning lobbyists from Congress. No arrests necessary. Newt is flaming wad of political mayhem.
Posted by: sameagain | December 18, 2011, 9:09 pm 9:09 pm
Newt, is ABSOLUTELY correct !!
Posted by: CLAUDE1365 | December 18, 2011, 9:10 pm 9:10 pm
I agree the judiciary has assumed way too much power to itself — many of the Supreme’s decisions defining what is “constitutional” are completely wacky. Still, I don’t think arresting judges is the solution to the problem.
Posted by: lragan | December 18, 2011, 9:17 pm 9:17 pm
This coming from a man who, as Speaker of the House, was sanctioned for misconduct by his peers.
Posted by: midfield91 | December 18, 2011, 9:23 pm 9:23 pm
Fascism never dies, it just lies in wait in dank crevices and dark minds. Keep talking Newt.
Posted by: Cassandra | December 18, 2011, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm
VIVA FIDEL!!! ooops I meant VIVA NEWT!!!!
Posted by: Mrmailman | December 18, 2011, 9:36 pm 9:36 pm
Keep on talking Newt, the true color of ignorance is
showing up real nice now. Someday the GOP will be
waking up and realizing that you have no competence
in being any leader.
Posted by: michael | December 18, 2011, 10:24 pm 10:24 pm
Hey Newt – I hear there is an opening for a guy like you in North Korea
Posted by: zapparules | December 18, 2011, 10:30 pm 10:30 pm
Yup, why not elect Newt. No, nevermind that the balance of powers resulted in the courts (who, since i am middle class, oh, I mean poor) don’t really matter two feeks to me unless i get a ticket or do something stupid, worked the way they should. But, let us elect a man who cheated on his wife, a man who was a part of a party with their contract with America. Remember that? You astill carrying that 10-point checklist with ya Newt?
Posted by: Mikeycbd1 | December 18, 2011, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm
Of course. He wants to arrest dissenters. Just like Bush Sr. He’d like nothing more than to have a theocratic justice system. Much like in the Middle east. We all see how well that works.
Can we arrest Newt for spending taxpayer money to attempt to impeach a president that had an affair when he himself was having an affair?
What a piece of garbage. Fascism at it’s finest.
Posted by: KonaEhukai | December 18, 2011, 10:58 pm 10:58 pm
I guess we’ll need to arrest several members of the supreme court then. Alito, Thomas, and Roberts would look great in black and white stripes. Allowing corporations to influence elections in this country with their deep pockets is definitely activism that is punishable by prison sentences.
Posted by: NHGuy | December 18, 2011, 11:05 pm 11:05 pm
“Gingrich: Activist Judges Should Be Arrested.” Except conservative activist judges of course. Newt wants to be Dictator and get rid of the Constitution. He’d be truly dangerous if he was electable.
Posted by: Fred | December 18, 2011, 11:06 pm 11:06 pm
Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia better lawyer up because it sounds like Newt is commin after’em. (lol)
Posted by: dan | December 18, 2011, 11:19 pm 11:19 pm
FDR had the right idea; start by getting the “Supremes” to read and understand our Constitution.
Posted by: tucanofulano | December 19, 2011, 12:04 am 12:04 am
Just a little preview on what a Gingrich presidency would look like. Enjoy!
Posted by: ruff20 | December 19, 2011, 1:09 am 1:09 am
funny, i thought that newt was running as a serious candidate. turns out that he’s just another flavor of the week.
Posted by: justsane | December 19, 2011, 1:28 am 1:28 am
Hmmm. Let’s see, Newt wants to fire judges that disagree with his views. Newt wants to abolish child labor laws and have children do janitorial work so they don’t become prostitutes and pimps. What a guy!!!!! Cheats on his wives, defies all ethics. And the GOP wants to call this presidential material. Now that’s desperation.
Posted by: howdymo1 | December 19, 2011, 5:23 am 5:23 am
Yeah, “activist” judges are “out of touch with mainstream values”, but the legislators aren’t?
Posted by: Rick | December 19, 2011, 7:17 am 7:17 am
When you think that he hasn’t compeletly lost his mind, he comes up with this
Posted by: rick | December 19, 2011, 7:21 am 7:21 am
“Hey Newt – I hear there is an opening for a guy like you in North Korea”
Please, provide an address where I can send a recommendation letter. I am all for it.
Posted by: G. Durand | December 19, 2011, 8:24 am 8:24 am
LOL, indeed. So Republicans are like Forrest Gump? You mean they are smart and wise, and only appear slow and dumb to shallow people? Then, thanks. Next you’ll be saying Republicans are weak, like…duh…Alexander the Great. You are nearly as silly and dim and dull as that spammer named Georgie_Bushie. Newt > Obama, also obviously.
Posted by: Risky Business | December 19, 2011, 9:11 am 9:11 am
Obama looks pretty sunk right now,unless he does become president of North Korea, lol, but maybe he can learn to do better if we give him another term.
Posted by: Searambler | December 19, 2011, 9:56 am 9:56 am
So this is the best the GOP has to offer ? Let’s get the new Green 99% party going and find a peoples candidate someone really qualified to run a country of the people.
Posted by: Heraldmage | December 19, 2011, 9:59 am 9:59 am
Will he go after the Conservatives on the Supreme Court first? Because their Citizens United ruling is the very definition of ‘activist ruling’, i.e legislating from the bench. They overturned over a hundred years of case law and precedent, as well as TWO previous SC rulings. In order to give anonymous corporate cash even MORE access to our political process than they already had……
Posted by: Searambler | December 19, 2011, 10:08 am 10:08 am
Sounds good, comrade HERALDMAGE, but I’ll stick with Obama for now, even if it looks nearly hopeless currently.
Posted by: Searambler | December 19, 2011, 10:08 am 10:08 am
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Posted by: tom | December 19, 2011, 10:18 am 10:18 am
So this is how Fascism comes to America, riding on the cloak of patriotism. It’s been a good run America, you will be missed.
Posted by: Anonymous | December 19, 2011, 11:24 am 11:24 am
ANONYMOUS, I take it you are referring to Obama and his phony photo-ops with our great troops? If so, I couldn’t agree more. But don’t worry, his one term will be up soon, thankfully.
Posted by: Elmer Fudd Is A Democrat | December 19, 2011, 11:34 am 11:34 am
Another crook who thinks “the President is above the law”.
Posted by: raggmopp | December 19, 2011, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm
Unfortunately, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has a valid point. It has become the culture of critically important branches within the USA to conspire and influence itself under so-called legal maneuvering to destroy the constitutional rights of people and children in the USA. That un-wanted culture is even true in most critical parts of our government and industry with total disregard to the out-come.
PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI DENIED
HACHMEISTER v. DEFENSE 98 6265, DENIED on November 16, 1998
HACHMEISTER v. HAWAII 98 5658, DENIED on October 13, 1998
In the combined complaints and among the tragedies in the end, we lost a space shuttle name Columbia, and justice.
Posted by: William F. Hachmeister | December 19, 2011, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
Wow is this interview hacked up and pasted back together or what? Gingrich answers how would you bring in a judge that refuses a Congressional supeona and his response is paraphrased and placed as if he just chose to arrest all judges. What a blatant attack piece.
Posted by: notafan | December 20, 2011, 11:30 am 11:30 am