Ginsburg on Trump’s call for court to end impeachment: ‘The president is not a lawyer’

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Monday responded to President Trump’s suggestion that the Supreme Court could stop the impeachment process, saying “the president is not a lawyer.”

“He’s not law-trained,” Ginsburg continued after being asked by BBC reporter Razia Iqbal about Trump’s proposal, according to WWD and CNN.

“But the truth is, the judiciary is a reactive institution. We don’t have a program, we don’t have an agenda. We react to what’s out there,” she continued.

Ginsburg’s remarks came during an event in New York City hosted by the Berggruen Institute, where she received their Prize for Philosophy & Culture.

Earlier this month, Trump questioned whether he or his Republican allies could ask the justices to halt the House impeachment inquiry. 

“Great job! Radical Left has NO CASE,” Trump wrote in a Dec. 2 tweet. “Read the Transcripts. Shouldn’t even be allowed. Can we go to Supreme Court to stop?”

Just landed in the United Kingdom, heading to London for NATO meetings tomorrow. Prior to landing I read the Republicans Report on the Impeachment Hoax. Great job! Radical Left has NO CASE. Read the Transcripts. Shouldn’t even be allowed. Can we go to Supreme Court to stop?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2019

The Constitution states that the U.S. House of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” and the Senate “shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.” 

The founding document also states that when the president is on trial, “the Chief Justice shall preside,” but prescribes no other impeachment role for the Supreme Court.