Since he was appointed Supreme Court chief justice by George W. Bush in 2005, John Roberts has been something of an enigma. He initially tried to cultivate a reputation as a fair-minded institutionalist, occasionally surprising observers in controversial cases, as he did when he cast the deciding vote upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.

But don’t be fooled. Roberts is no moderate. He's a right-wing idealogue whose leadership has done great damage to the Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the country and lately become an enabler of former President Donald Trump.

As to his legal philosophy, a review of his record by the left-leaning nonprofit Take Back the Court Action Fund suggests that “Roberts has been one of the most conservative justices since joining the Supreme Court in 2005.” There “is almost no partisan difference distinguishing Justices Roberts, Gorsuch, Alito, Roberts, and Scalia.”

A New York Times report now brings more evidence that, like so many others, Roberts, once willing to stand up to former President Trump, has made peace with him and joined the coterie of people who condone Trump’s behavior and give him cover. The Times article highlighted the crucial, behind-the-scenes role that Roberts played in ensuring that the Court would protect Donald Trump in three January 6 related cases decided last term. His Machiavellian manipulations culminated in July when the court gave Trump a shocking victory by granting the president broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

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Roberts has come a long way since his testimony during his confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Then, he took pains to assure his listeners that judges “are not politicians.” He insisted that he had “no agenda.” He would “decide every case based on the........

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