Impeaching John Glover Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Bill Number

H.Res. 1309

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-05-21: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2026-05-22T10:18:39Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose H. Res. 1309 impeaches John Glover Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. It charges him with violating his constitutional oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and to administer justice impartially.

Key Provisions The resolution presents six articles of impeachment exhibited to the Senate:

• Article I: Accuses the Chief Justice of failing in stewardship by allowing the Court to become politicized. It cites selective use of the Purcell principle in cases like Louisiana v. Callais, which occurred during ongoing primary elections and led to mid-decade redistricting in multiple states, allegedly favoring one political party.
• Article II: Claims violation of oaths by enabling minority rule. It references Rucho v. Common Cause and Louisiana v. Callais as decisions that permit state legislatures to draw districts favoring certain viewpoints, undermining equal protection and popular sovereignty under the Constitution and amendments such as the Fourteenth and Fifteenth.
• Article III: Alleges bias toward wealth by joining decisions like Citizens United v. FEC, McCutcheon v. FEC, and AFPF v. Bonta, which weakened campaign finance restrictions and favored candidates and donors with greater resources.
• Article IV: Charges creation of an unaccountable executive branch through the ruling in Trump v. United States, granting absolute immunity from criminal prosecution to former presidents.
• Article V: Criticizes arbitrary decisions via expanded use of the emergency docket, resulting in orders without detailed analysis or explanation that allegedly violate due process and equal protection.
• Article VI: Asserts failure to recuse due to the Chief Justice's spouse's work as a legal recruiter for firms with cases before the Court, violating 28 U.S.C. § 455 and judicial standards on impartiality.

Significant Changes to Existing Law The resolution does not amend statutes but applies existing constitutional impeachment authority under Article II and references 28 U.S.C. § 455 regarding judicial disqualification. It frames the Chief Justice's actions as violations of his Judicial Oath and statutory recusal requirements.

Potential Impacts The document states that the conduct causes prejudice to the cause of law and justice and manifest injury to the people of the United States. It calls for the Chief Justice's removal from office and disqualification from holding future positions of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• The Chief Justice of the United States.
• The House of Representatives, which holds sole power of impeachment.
• The Senate, which would conduct any trial.
• The people of the United States, as referenced in the resolution's maintenance of the charges.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The resolution emphasizes the Chief Justice's role in administering judicial independence and impartiality. It highlights potential conflicts with the constitutional structure of checks and balances, the guarantee of a republican form of government, and requirements for equal protection under the law.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]

Recent Actions

• 2026-05-21: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2026-05-21: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

• Impeaching John Glover Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States for high crimes and misdemeanors. — issued 2026-05-21 — PDF (9 pages)