SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito testifies about the court's budget during a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee's Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee March 07, 2019 in Washington, DC. Members of the subcommittee asked the justices about court security,
televising oral arguments and codes of ethics for the court.
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Ocasio-Cortez Rebukes Alito 'Tantrum' and 'Highly Politicized' Supreme Court
"In our system of checks and balances, SCOTUS’s reckless behavior warrants a check from the legislative and executive branches. This is not unprecedented, it's how our system is designed to avert tyranny."
Apr 22, 2023
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito of throwing a 'tantrum' in his written dissent to Friday night's ruling over the abortion medication mifepristone and said the Court's right-wing majority has become an ideological political force that must be checked by the two other branches of government.
Backed only by Justice Clarence Thomas, Alito's dissent evoked the charge that President Joe Biden may not have honored a ruling by the court that was unfavorable to the administration's position. As it was, an unknown majority on the Court decided to maintain availability of the widely-used medication, a relief—even if temporary—for reproductive rights defenders nationwide.
After one legal expert called the portion of Alito's dissent challenging the hypothetical actions of Biden "unwarranted and completely unbefitting a Supreme Court Justice," Ocasio-Cortez chimed in to say that the administration, had it been necessary, would have been right to have the FDA ignore a Court ruling that barred access to a legitimately approved drug used safely by millions each year.
"The court," said Ocasio-Cortez, "has devolved into a highly politicized entity that is rapidly delegitimizing. Open discussion of checking the court's abuse of power and defying Kacsmaryk possibly contributed to pause/consideration."
\u201cAnother perspective: despite Alito\u2019s tantrum, this is a good thing.\n\nThe court has devolved into a highly politicized entity that is rapidly delegitimizing. Open discussion of checking the court\u2019s abuse of power & defying Kacsmaryk possibly contributed to pause/consideration\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1682122849
Ahead of the high court's ruling on Friday, many advocates and lawmakers—including the New York Democrat—had called on Biden and the FDA to ignore the lower-court ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a far-right ideologue in Texas and Trump appointee.
"The court is a political entity currently engaged in overreach and abuse of power," the congresswoman said in her Friday night rebuke. "In our system of checks and balances, SCOTUS’s reckless behavior warrants a check from the leg + executive branches. This is not unprecedented, it’s how our system is designed to avert tyranny."
Dante Atkins, a progressive political strategist and former congressional staffer, said Ocasio-Cortez's assessment was correct.
"The only people still pretending that the court is legitimate are a handful of Boomer Dems," Atkins tweeted. "Both MAGA and most younger Dems recognize what it is: an unelected partisan super-legislature."
Correction: An early version of this article indicated the decision was 7-2, but that is not clear from the unsigned order that issued the stay. What is known that at least five justices backed it while only two, Alito and Thomas, made their dissent known. This has been clarified in the piece.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
abortion pill rulingreproductive rightssamuel alitomifepristonealexandria ocasio-cortezdemocracyus supreme courtabortion pills
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito of throwing a 'tantrum' in his written dissent to Friday night's ruling over the abortion medication mifepristone and said the Court's right-wing majority has become an ideological political force that must be checked by the two other branches of government.
Backed only by Justice Clarence Thomas, Alito's dissent evoked the charge that President Joe Biden may not have honored a ruling by the court that was unfavorable to the administration's position. As it was, an unknown majority on the Court decided to maintain availability of the widely-used medication, a relief—even if temporary—for reproductive rights defenders nationwide.
After one legal expert called the portion of Alito's dissent challenging the hypothetical actions of Biden "unwarranted and completely unbefitting a Supreme Court Justice," Ocasio-Cortez chimed in to say that the administration, had it been necessary, would have been right to have the FDA ignore a Court ruling that barred access to a legitimately approved drug used safely by millions each year.
"The court," said Ocasio-Cortez, "has devolved into a highly politicized entity that is rapidly delegitimizing. Open discussion of checking the court's abuse of power and defying Kacsmaryk possibly contributed to pause/consideration."
\u201cAnother perspective: despite Alito\u2019s tantrum, this is a good thing.\n\nThe court has devolved into a highly politicized entity that is rapidly delegitimizing. Open discussion of checking the court\u2019s abuse of power & defying Kacsmaryk possibly contributed to pause/consideration\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1682122849
Ahead of the high court's ruling on Friday, many advocates and lawmakers—including the New York Democrat—had called on Biden and the FDA to ignore the lower-court ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a far-right ideologue in Texas and Trump appointee.
"The court is a political entity currently engaged in overreach and abuse of power," the congresswoman said in her Friday night rebuke. "In our system of checks and balances, SCOTUS’s reckless behavior warrants a check from the leg + executive branches. This is not unprecedented, it’s how our system is designed to avert tyranny."
Dante Atkins, a progressive political strategist and former congressional staffer, said Ocasio-Cortez's assessment was correct.
"The only people still pretending that the court is legitimate are a handful of Boomer Dems," Atkins tweeted. "Both MAGA and most younger Dems recognize what it is: an unelected partisan super-legislature."
Correction: An early version of this article indicated the decision was 7-2, but that is not clear from the unsigned order that issued the stay. What is known that at least five justices backed it while only two, Alito and Thomas, made their dissent known. This has been clarified in the piece.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito of throwing a 'tantrum' in his written dissent to Friday night's ruling over the abortion medication mifepristone and said the Court's right-wing majority has become an ideological political force that must be checked by the two other branches of government.
Backed only by Justice Clarence Thomas, Alito's dissent evoked the charge that President Joe Biden may not have honored a ruling by the court that was unfavorable to the administration's position. As it was, an unknown majority on the Court decided to maintain availability of the widely-used medication, a relief—even if temporary—for reproductive rights defenders nationwide.
After one legal expert called the portion of Alito's dissent challenging the hypothetical actions of Biden "unwarranted and completely unbefitting a Supreme Court Justice," Ocasio-Cortez chimed in to say that the administration, had it been necessary, would have been right to have the FDA ignore a Court ruling that barred access to a legitimately approved drug used safely by millions each year.
"The court," said Ocasio-Cortez, "has devolved into a highly politicized entity that is rapidly delegitimizing. Open discussion of checking the court's abuse of power and defying Kacsmaryk possibly contributed to pause/consideration."
\u201cAnother perspective: despite Alito\u2019s tantrum, this is a good thing.\n\nThe court has devolved into a highly politicized entity that is rapidly delegitimizing. Open discussion of checking the court\u2019s abuse of power & defying Kacsmaryk possibly contributed to pause/consideration\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1682122849
Ahead of the high court's ruling on Friday, many advocates and lawmakers—including the New York Democrat—had called on Biden and the FDA to ignore the lower-court ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a far-right ideologue in Texas and Trump appointee.
"The court is a political entity currently engaged in overreach and abuse of power," the congresswoman said in her Friday night rebuke. "In our system of checks and balances, SCOTUS’s reckless behavior warrants a check from the leg + executive branches. This is not unprecedented, it’s how our system is designed to avert tyranny."
Dante Atkins, a progressive political strategist and former congressional staffer, said Ocasio-Cortez's assessment was correct.
"The only people still pretending that the court is legitimate are a handful of Boomer Dems," Atkins tweeted. "Both MAGA and most younger Dems recognize what it is: an unelected partisan super-legislature."
Correction: An early version of this article indicated the decision was 7-2, but that is not clear from the unsigned order that issued the stay. What is known that at least five justices backed it while only two, Alito and Thomas, made their dissent known. This has been clarified in the piece.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.