AOC Files Articles of Impeachment Targeting Justices Alito and Thomas

Following the Supreme Court’s immunity decision in Trump v. USA, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York issued a statement condemning the high court’s “corruption crisis beyond its control.” But the congresswoman – who is sometimes known by the initials “AOC” – didn’t stop there.

“Today’s decision represents an attack on American democracy,” added the New York Democrat, referring to the immunity case. “It is up to Congress to defend our nation from this authoritarian capture.”

To that end, Ocasio-Cortez has promised to introduce articles of impeachment against Supreme Court justices after Congress adjourns on July 4. Evidently, she meant it. NBC News reported this afternoon:

AOC has already gained some allies: Her impeachment resolutions are supported by eight original co-sponsors: Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee of California, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Bonnie Watson Coleman from New Jersey, Delia Ramírez from Illinois, Maxwell Frost from Florida, Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, Jamaal Bowman from New York and Jasmine Crockett from Texas.

The move also comes amid several related efforts on Capitol Hill. Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden, for example, asked Attorney General Merrick Garland appoint a special advocate as part of a potential criminal investigation into Thomas.

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Joe Morelle of New York responded to the Trump v. Trump ruling. a constitutional amendment This would reverse the Supreme Court’s “harmful immunity ruling and ensure that no president is above the law.” New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman added a written statement which said in part: “We must take all available measures to control the increasingly unfettered power of this radical court, including…expanding the number of judges.”

Circling back to our recent coverage, I keep thinking there are some ways to evaluate efforts like these. The first is on the merits and, in this aspect, it is easy to sympathize with the Democratic proposals. The Supreme Court’s radicalized Republican majority has taken indefensible steps in recent years, but elevating the presidency above the law is a singularly pernicious act.

This, along with recent ethics scandals, has put Democratic efforts on firm ground.

The second, however, is more pragmatic. No sitting judge has been removed from office through the impeachment process, and the last time such a case went to the Senate was 220 years ago. Given the Republican majority in the House, the first time such a measure could be considered would be next year, and if Democrats failed to gain a majority, the idea would once again be off the table.

Likewise, the Constitution has never been amended to reverse a mistaken Supreme Court decision; and although Congress has expanded the Supreme Court before, it has been 155 years, and the chances of such an effort clearing the Capitol anytime soon are extraordinarily remote.

Or, put another way, Democrats are taking the broader issues seriously, as they should, but those hoping to see their efforts result in meaningful change should probably lower their expectations.

But if Congress can’t fix what the Republican judges broke, what It is the medicine?

There is “very little we can do except elect a Democrat [as president] who will nominate vacancies if Democrats keep [the] Senate,” recently Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee told Axios.

In other words, those looking for a short-term recourse should not turn to Congress, but rather to voters, who now have an additional reason to choose wisely in the fall.

This post updates our related previous coverage.

This article was originally published in MSNBC.com