Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Lisa Graves, co-founder of Court Accountability, leading expert on the right-wing legal movement, and author of Without Precedent, released the following statement after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s illegal sweeping tariffs: 

 

“The Roberts Court has handed Donald Trump a convenient political off-ramp from his disastrous tariff policy that is raising prices, wreaking havoc on the American economy, and cratering his economic approval ahead of the midterms. The decision confirms what should never have been in question: Trump lacks the constitutional authority to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs, a power the Constitution explicitly delegates to Congress. This ruling is not judicial courage. This is the Roberts Court doing the bare minimum to rein in Trump’s abuse of power while conveniently providing a political lifeline to shield Republicans from electoral ruin.”

 

Background

In Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc., the Trump administration made the unprecedented claim that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act gave the president sweeping authority to “regulate importation” by imposing tariffs–despite tariffs being a power the Constitution explicitly delegates to Congress. Businesses and states challenged the argument as a dangerous power grab that would allow any president to unilaterally impose massive, capricious, and erratic tariffs without congressional approval. The Supreme Court rejected that theory, making clear that Trump’s tariffs exceeded his statutory authority and violated the Constitution. The ruling blocks the use of emergency powers as a backdoor to rewrite U.S. trade policy and reasserts one of the constitutional limits on presidential power. However, the ruling stands in contrast to the Roberts Court overwhelmingly favoring Trump over the past year, including by siding with him in 24 shadow docket rulings that overruled temporary restraining orders issued by trial court judges based on detailed findings of fact and law.

 

About Court Accountability 

Court Accountability is a non-partisan initiative dedicated to combating judicial corruption and abuse of power. Our mission is to address the growth of corruption and authoritarianism in U.S. courts and public policy, which threaten human freedoms and progress toward a thriving multi-racial democracy. We seek to restore the proper role of the judicial branch and balance of power, empowering Congress to fulfill its constitutional duty to conduct meaningful oversight and serve as a check on the courts. To learn more, visit our website, follow us on Substack, or check out our collaborations with Meidas Touch on their LegalAF channel.

 

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