Roberts didn’t even personally address the lawmakers. Supreme Court Legal Counsel Ethan Torrey, writing on behalf of Roberts, replied instead, saying simply that, “The Chief Justice has asked me to acknowledge your letter dated June 27, 2023, and to thank you very much for bringing your concerns about these important matters to his attention.”
I wonder if Congress can withhold SCOTUS operational funding until something is done?
They could do a hell of a lot more than that. The Constitution defines the SCOTUS and states:
Congress has the power to modify the powers of the Supreme court. They could, if they had the will, take away the vast majority of the power of SCOTUS. Congress could add exceptions to the SCOTUS’ appellate powers for all matters except matters “affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party.” With the President’s assistance, Congress could even expand the court and alter the current majority.
They could do all this, but they won’t, and for the same reason they won’t impeach the blatantly ethically bereft members of the court. Because the Republicans are benefiting from the status quo and they will never allow the Democrats to change it as long as they have more than 40 seats in the Senate and a majority in the House.