Captured Courts: The GOP’s Big Money Assault On The Constitution, Our Independent Judiciary, And The Rule of Law

Under the Trump Administration, the Mitch McConnell-led Senate has produced few significant legislative accomplishments. Instead, it has prioritized packing the judiciary with far-right extremists, who then enjoy life tenure as federal judges. Working hand- in-hand with the administration and anonymously-funded outside groups, the Senate has confirmed 200 new life-tenured federal judges to aggressively remake the federal courts and rewrite the Constitution. Most of these judges were chosen not for their qualifications or experience–which are often lacking–but for their demonstrated allegiance to Republican Party political goals. These judges have already begun rolling back the clock on civil rights, consumer protections, and the rights of ordinary Americans, reliably putting a thumb on the scale in favor of corporate and Republican political interests. From the Supreme Court on down, the special interests responsible for these judges’ selection and confirmation are effectively capturing the judicial branch, packing our courts with politicians in robes.