Schumer Asked Roberts to Condemn Trump's Attack on Stone Judge

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to "speak up" last month after President Donald Trump attacked the judge presiding over the sentencing of his longtime associate Roger Stone.

"To not speak up now, when in the middle of this brouhaha, a judge is being attacked by the president before she makes a sentencing decision, that's when we really need the chief justice to speak up," Schumer said on the Senate floor in February. "So now would be the time for Chief Justice Roberts to speak up. Now would be the time for the chief justice to directly and specifically defend the independence of this federal judge. I hope he will see fit to do that and to do it today."

Roberts criticized Schumer over his remarks earlier this week about Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh during an abortion rights rally.

"Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous," Roberts said. "All members of the court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter."

Schumer's office responded to Roberts with a statement saying, "Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes."

The senator walked back his comments about Gorsuch and Kavanaugh on Thursday.

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