Justice Thomas says judiciary 'is not a puppet of those in power'
Justice Clarence Thomas.
Justice Clarence Thomas on Friday stressed the need for judges to remain independent from the political branches of government.
Thomas spoke about the importance of the rule of law at a dedication ceremony for a justice center expansion in Covington, Georgia, report the Associated Press and the Rockdale Citizen & Newton Citizen.
“Judicial independence is critical to liberty and to justice,” Thomas said. “In our great country, the judiciary is not a puppet of those in power, nor is it the engine for pioneering social change. Rather, it is a safeguard against tyranny and an assurance of neutral arbiters for those seeking the protection of the law.”
Thomas said it is increasingly common for public opinion to galvanize behind particular outcomes. “Advancing a narrative all too often becomes more important than the rule of law,” Thomas said. “And it can be tempting for us as judges to want to fit into that narrative or to confuse what we perceive as a just outcome with the justice that the law requires and that flows from being fair and impartial. As judges we have a sacred duty to resist that temptation.”
