Retired US Supreme Court Justice Kennedy warns 'freedom is at risk'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

June 26, 2025 5:01 PM EDT Updated 11 hours ago


June 26 (Reuters) - Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy on Thursday expressed concern about the "tone of our political discourse" as he defended the role judges play in a democracy and argued for the need to protect them and their families from threats. Kennedy, who retired from the top court in 2018 during Republican President Donald Trump's first term, made the remarks during a virtual forum featuring judges from other countries who warned about how attacks on courts can threaten democracies.

Kennedy, in rare public remarks, did not mention Trump during the "Speak Up for Justice" event, even as other participants voiced alarm about the barrage of threats and attacks the judiciary has faced as key parts of the Republican president's second-term agenda have been blocked in courts.

But Kennedy, who was appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan, stressed that "the rest of the world, many in the rest of the world, look to the United States to see what democracy is, to see what democracy ought to be." "And if they see a hostile, fractious discourse, if they see a discourse that uses identity politics rather than to talk about issues, democracy is at risk," Kennedy said. "Freedom is at risk."

Kennedy said "judges must have protection for themselves and their families." He said "judges are best protected when the public and our nation realize how central they are to our discourse." "We should be concerned in this country about, as I've already indicated, the tone of our political discourse," he said. "Identity politics are used so that a person is characterized by his or her partisan affiliation. That's not what democracy and civil discourse is about."

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/retired-us-supreme-court-justice-kennedy-warns-freedom-is-risk-2025-06-26/

[AZJonnie]

1. Generally speaking all true, but not so much for one of the reasons stipulated

"Identity politics are used so that a person is characterized by his or her partisan affiliation"

That is not really what is meant by the term 'identity politics'. And the term is actually a right-wing trope.

But otherwise, good message, thanks Justice Kennedy.

[BaronChocula]

2. Did he take classes at Arthur Murray?

Because he's dancing around the real problem very well. Whenever there's a horrific event that was inspired by conservative conspiracy theories conservatives love to use the word tone as in "both sides need to tone down the rhetoric," when the blame is 100 percent their own. So when Kennedy uses the word tone, it sounds like this same genre of defense that blames both sides when one side is completely responsible for the danger.

[Mike Niendorff]

3. Hey, remember when ... ?

Remember when Anthony Kennedy joined the 5-4 majority in Bush v Gore?

When he and his criminal co-conspirators stole the 2000 election, and installed George W Bush -- the losing candidate -- into the oval office?

Cuz yeah, I still remember that.

Fuck "Justice" Kennedy and his protestations against the state of affairs that HE PERSONALLY CONSPIRED TO CREATE.

He belongs in prison. That is where he should have been the past 25 years, that's where he should be now, and that's where he should die. Right next to Clarence Thomas. Waiting his turn in hell with Scalia, O'Connor and William fucking Rehnquist.


MDN

[Gimpyknee]

4. Other than that, how do you feel about Justice Kennedy?

[irisblue]

5. No lie Sherlock. What did trump have on your son BTW?

[Lemon Lyman]

6. -

Why don't you tell us what was said at the 37 second part of this clip, Mr. Kennedy? What was that all about?

https://www.c-span.org/clip/white-house-event/user-clip-a-wag-of-the-finger/4754791

[maxrandb]

7. More "Both-Sides" fucking bullshit

Dear Justice Kennedy,



"Go fuck yourself sideways, with a First Edition, hard-cover copy of Atlas Shrugged, you worthless piece of amphibian shit!"

When someone is "identified" as a partisan hack, it's perfectly fine to "identity politic" the ever-loving piss out of them.

[wolfie001]

8. I can't recall anyone who's done more to sabotage "freedom"

What a stupid clueless fuck.

To Kennedy:

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Since it is supposed to rain here on and off today, here is one I'm using

[wolfie001]

19. lol

[Ritabert]

10. So why did he retire?

[rpannier]

11. I'll make this short

FUCK YOU!

Everyone have a nice day

[travelingthrulife]

12. Wasn't it his son working at Deutsche Bank during Trump's first Grift-O-Thon?

And then suddenly he retired?

[Aristus]

13. It's a shame he didn't think of that in 2000 when he was the swing vote on Bush vs Gore.

Too late now, fuckstick.

[Linda ladeewolf]

14. Wasn't he the one that got paid to retire so trumpy could name a Supreme Court justice?

[msfiddlestix]

17. Something like that, and if memory serves, I believe I read at the time, Kennedy chose Kavanaugh for the pay for play

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. Kennedy quit so his son (tRumps DB loan officer) could get favours from tRump. . . . nt

[Martin Eden]

18. And tRump got to fill a vacancy in SCOTUS

Curse him!

[republianmushroom]

16. The man who caved to trump.