Conservatives on Twitter Lose It on Chief Justice John Roberts Over Church Coronavirus Case: ‘National Disgrace!’

Tommy ChristopherJul 25th, 2020, 9:35 am
 

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Prominent conservatives took to Twitter to blast Republican-appointed Chief Justice John Roberts over his vote to reject a church’s challenge to Nevada coronavirus restrictions.

On Friday, the Supreme Court denied an emergency application in Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley v. Sisolak, in which the church sought to block Nevada state restrictions on religious gatherings. Chief Justice Roberts sided with the four more liberal justices in a 5-4 decision.

The majority did not offer an explanation, but as the New York Times points out, Roberts wrote a concurring opinion in a similar case earlier this year:

“Although California’s guidelines place restrictions on places of worship, those restrictions appear consistent with the free exercise clause of the First Amendment,” he wrote at the time.

“Similar or more severe restrictions apply to comparable secular gatherings, including lectures, concerts, movie showings, spectator sports and theatrical performances, where large groups of people gather in close proximity for extended periods of time,” the chief justice wrote. “And the order exempts or treats more leniently only dissimilar activities, such as operating grocery stores, banks and laundromats, in which people neither congregate in large groups nor remain in close proximity for extended periods.”

That decision unleashed a wave of social media criticism overnight, causing Roberts to become a top trending topic with tens of thousands of tweets — many from prominent conservatives angry over the decision.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz wrote “John Roberts has abandoned his oath,” then “joked” “But, on the upside, maybe Nevada churches should set up craps tables? Then they could open?”

Trump superfan Charlie Kirk called Roberts a “national disgrace” — twice.

Senator Tom Cotton was similarly displeased.

Conservative host Steve Deace said Roberts should be “impeached.”

Mike Huckabee said he’d settle for Roberts’ retirement.

Fox’s Mark Levin was appalled.

The hits on Roberts just kept coming.

There was also enjoyment of conservative tears from some quarters.

Three of the Supreme Court’s conservative justices penned dissents in the case.

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