Retired Supreme Court Justice Says Politics Don’t Play a Role in Court’s Decisions

Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said that his former high court colleagues are not easily swayed by public opinion when deciding key cases. Speaking on “This Week” Sunday, the former justice disagreed with claims that the U.S. Supreme Court has become politicized. “No judge should or will be moved by the temperature of the day,” he said, quoting law professor Paul Freund, “but every judge will be aware of the climate of the season.” He also responded to a question on whether political division has impacted the Supreme Court: “Hard to say. It’s a different, it’s a very complex institution … I’ve not seen politics in the court. And I’ve been a judge for 40 years.” Sometimes, however, they have to consider the real-world consequences of their rulings, he added....