Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh are at the center of an AOC Supreme Court offensive. The first-term Congresswoman is alleging both men committed perjury in their confirmation hearings. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said so in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), co-signed by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), another member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The curious thing is, neither one of these House democrats plan to do anything about it just yet. Instead, they are asking the Senate majority leader to do, well, something.
“We request that the Senate make its position clear on whether Justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch lied under oath during their confirmation hearings.”
“Never write a letter, never throw one away.” That was a guiding principle of famous Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo, which Alexandria Casio-Cortez and Ted Lieu would do well to incorporate. Their letter to Schumer excoriates Supreme Court nominees for lying to Congress, saying, “Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch directly lied to Senators. Then it asks Schumer for some kind of ruling on AOC’s allegation. The Senate, as a body, does not issue public positions on the veracity of testimony it receives. What then are they asking for, and why?
Ignorance Is Bliss
Are Ocasio-Cortez and Lieu ignorant of the powers and duties of the office they hold as a member of the House? There are a few congressional powers that are held exclusively by the House over the Senate, and the power to impeach is one of them. The Constitution says, “The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.” Why then is House member AOC asking for the head of the Senate to weigh in here?
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Some clever commentator wrote they would start believing in a climate catastrophe when those shouting about it acted like there was one. That was a response to the Obamas’ acquisition of a 29-acre waterfront estate on Martha’s Vineyard. The joint letter says “the legitimacy of the United States Supreme Court is at stake” and that “Justices who lie to the American people in order to get confirmed shred the legitimacy of the Supreme Court.” Where then is their proposed resolution of impeachment?
AOC Supreme Court Farce
Florida Governor and potential presidential contender Ron DeSantis described AOC’s politics as “Socialism wrapped in ignorance.” Let’s say she is not ignorant of the unique powers House members have to bring articles of impeachment. Is it realistic to think this brave young woman ran for and won a House seat, is convinced Justices perjured themselves, and now waits for Chuck Schumer to agree? I give her more credit than that. Perhaps she doesn’t want to be embarrassed by starting an impeachment that will be a spectacular failure? A cynic might suggest she thinks her donors and constituents are so unencumbered by an understanding of our constitutional processes that they think she’s actually doing something.
