Pence: ‘Chief Justice Roberts Has Been a Disappointment to Conservatives’

During an interview with CBN News’ David Brody that aired Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged conservatives see Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as a “disappointment.”

Pence pointed to the opinions offered by Roberts in which he broke with conservative orthodoxy, including on Obamacare and abortion.

“Look, we have great respect for the institution of the Supreme Court of the United States,” Pence said. “But Chief Justice John Roberts has been a disappointment to conservatives, whether it be the Obamacare decision or whether it be a spate of recent decisions all the way through Calvary Chapel. It’s a reminder, and I think several cases out of the Supreme Court are reminders of just how important this election is for the future of the Supreme Court. We remember the issue back in 2016, which I believe loomed large in voters’ decisions between Hillary Clinton and the man who would become president of the United States. And some people thought that it wouldn’t be as big an issue these days.”

“But I think that’s all changed,” he continued.” The recent decision, and again, a narrow Supreme Court decision striking down a Louisiana pro-life law that only said that doctors working in abortion clinics would have to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. That’s a very modest restriction on abortion providers.”

Pence stressed the importance of expanding a conservative majority on the high court and pledged that it would remain a priority for President Donald Trump.

“But a narrow majority in the Supreme Court still said it was unacceptable,” he said. “I think it’s been a wake-up call for pro-life voters around the country who understand, in a very real sense, the destiny of the Supreme Court is on the ballot in 2020. And that’s why President Trump announced that he’s going to publish another list of men and women from which he will draw any future appointments to the Supreme Court of the United States. He did that in 2016. He kept his word. He’s going to do that in the fall of 2020.”

“And in the next four years, he’ll keep his word and appoint more principled conservatives to our courts,” he added.

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor