“California’s top judge: Trump’s attacks on judiciary damage ‘rule of law’”

Bob Egelko reports in the San Francisco Chronicle on Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye’s annual meeting today with the press.

Among other things, the Chief Justice said about the president’s attacks on certain judges and courts, “The people uttering those are doing damage, short-term and long-term, to courts, to the rule of law.”  She also offered a left-handed compliment to U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, saying about his response to the president’s latest criticism of a judge that she was “not surprised to see Chief Justice (John) Roberts speak out — finally.”  “We as a branch (of government) need to defend our own,” Cantil-Sakauye continued.

The Chief Justice also commented on Governor Jerry Brown’s appointment of Joshua Groban to the state Supreme Court, seeming to clearly indicate that she will vote for Groban’s confirmation when she sits in 10 days as one of three members of the Commission on Judicial Appointments.  The article says, “Cantil-Sakauye noted that Groban has spent eight years advising the governor on judicial nominations and said he would add ‘some experience that came from the executive branch and some wisdom from Gov. Brown.'”