U.S. News
Cruz Pushes Impeachment for Federal Judges Over Controversial Rulings
Clear Facts
- Senator Ted Cruz urged Congress to impeach two federal judges during a Senate hearing, arguing their actions undermined public trust.
- Cruz targeted Judges James Boasberg and Deborah Boardman, citing a controversial gag order and a lenient sentence for Kavanaugh’s attempted assassin, respectively.
- The House Judiciary Committee is considering impeachment hearings; passage requires a two-thirds Senate majority, making removal unlikely.
Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, called for the impeachment of two federal judges during a Senate hearing, making his strongest appeal yet for this rare action.
He stated, “Rarer still, until now, were the deeper offenses the framers feared most, judges who, without necessarily breaking a criminal statute, violate the public trust, subvert the constitutional order or wield their office in ways that injure society itself.”
Cruz argued the House should initiate impeachment proceedings over Judge James Boasberg’s 2023 gag orders and Judge Deborah Boardman’s sentencing decision in the attempted assassination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
GOP committee spokesman Russell Dye emphasized, “everything is on the table” regarding possible impeachment hearings.
If the House proceeds, conviction in the Senate would require bipartisan support—a highly improbable outcome.
Democrat Senator Sheldon Whitehouse defended the judges, saying, “There was a time when I’d have hoped a Senate Judiciary subcommittee would not be roped into a scheme to amplify pressure and threats against a sitting federal judge. But here we are.”
Judge Boardman sentenced Sophie Roske to eight years for attempting to murder Kavanaugh, despite prosecutors seeking a thirty-year term. Boardman acknowledged Roske’s transgender identity and cooperation with police when determining the sentence.
Cruz criticized Democrats for not addressing Boardman’s leniency, stating, “My Democrat colleagues on this committee do not get to give great speeches about how opposed they are to violence against the judiciary, and, at the same time, cheer on a judge saying, ‘Well, if you attempt to murder a Supreme Court justice and you happen to be transgender, not a problem. We’re going to deviate downward by more than two decades.'”
Boasberg granted prosecutors’ requests for gag orders related to phone subpoenas targeting Republican lawmakers during Jack Smith’s investigation into the 2020 election and the Capitol riot. The orders prevented the lawmakers from being notified immediately.
Rob Luther, a law professor, questioned Boasberg’s judgment, stating, “One must ask on what basis Judge Boasberg found that the disclosure of subpoenas would result in destruction of or tampering with evidence, intimidation of potential witnesses, and cause serious jeopardy to the investigation, end quote.”
Smith’s actions were in line with DOJ policy, but Luther responded, “DOJ policy does not supplant federal law.”
For readers concerned about judicial accountability, the debate underscores high stakes and deep divisions over the limits of judicial independence and congressional oversight.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
