Alito says Supreme Court is caught between the president

What happened

The outlets' own sentences, most widely reported first. Hover or tap one to see who reported it.

Analysis

How it changed

1. 13 Nov

   Alito compared the three branches of government to a ‘hand grenade,’ a 500-pound bomb, and a nuclear weapon, to make the point that the federal judiciary is the least dangerous branch

   3 outlets · Daily Mail

Coverage 5 articles

• 13 Nov Alito says Supreme Court is caught between the president and a Congress that can ‘turn off the lights’Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito warned at a Federalist Society event in Washington, D.C., that the judiciary is vulnerable to the executive and legislative branches, specifically noting that Congress could "turn off the lights" by withholding funding. Speaking to an audience of over 2,500 people, Alito argued that while the court is the least dangerous branch, it must remain independent as presidents increasingly…NBC News
• 13 Nov Samuel Alito calls judiciary the ‘least dangerous’ branch of governmentSupreme Court Justice Samuel Alito stated during a fireside chat at the Federalist Society’s annual Antonin Scalia Memorial Dinner in Washington that the judiciary is the "least dangerous" branch of government. He argued that the branch's limited power makes it particularly vulnerable to the influence of the president and Congress. The reporting focuses on Alito's specific commentary regarding the judiciary's…Washington Examiner
• 13 Nov Alito warns against congressional Supreme Court meddling, says some lower court judges 'have gone far astray'Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Jr. issued a warning during a Federalist Society dinner that Congress could potentially defund the Supreme Court to obstruct its operations and eliminate judicial independence. Alito argued that such actions would threaten the Constitution as it was adopted in 1789, even though Article III, Section 1 explicitly protects the compensation of high court justices. The report also…Fox News
• 13 Nov Alito warns Democrats could ‘turn off the lights’ at the Supreme Court by cutting its fundingSupreme Court Justice Samuel Alito warned at the Federalist Society’s annual Antonin Scalia Memorial Dinner that Congress could effectively shut down the court by withholding its funding for operations, staff, and facilities. The justice argued that because Congress controls the "purse strings," the judiciary is the weakest of the three branches and its independence is at risk if funding is used as leverage. The…New York Post
• 13 Nov Samuel Alito reveals biggest challenges to Supreme Court as justice addresses rumors he's retiringSupreme Court Justice Samuel Alito spoke at the Scalia Memorial Dinner to address the judiciary's institutional challenges and dispel rumors regarding his potential retirement. Alito attributed the rise of "shadow docket" cases to presidents seeking unilateral actions due to congressional gridlock and to the fact that 680 district judges may occasionally "tinker" with rules. He characterized the judiciary as the…Daily Mail

Keep exploring

Similar coverage · 2–7 OctAlito Considering Retirement Similar coverage · 28 Sep–2 OctAlito Recuses In Climate Case Similar coverage · 25 SepJackson Criticizes Supreme Court Docket Handling Similar coverage · 8–10 NovSotomayor Criticizes Supreme Court Rulings Similar coverage · 2 OctTrump And Supreme Court Clash Similar coverage · 5 NovAlito Reiterates No Retirement Plans Similar coverage · 21 OctSupreme Court Rulings Criticized Similar coverage · 5 OctChief Justice on Protecting Democracy Similar coverage · 29 Sep–10 OctSupreme Court Climate Case Recent · 13–14 NovUS flight chaos in photos Long queues, crowded terminals