surprising portrait of an individual who, evidently, at an earlier time in his life, had different values.
what has happened in the interim?
the Roberts court isn't just inclined to be "conservative"--it is extraordinarily, astonishingly conciliatory to a single individual, T***p.
hoping that historians will unravel some of these mysteries. "why good men surrendered to T***p"--were they blackmailed? in some way coerced? but so many others have remained steadfast, intransigent. what was it about Roberts that made him weak?
Chief Justice John Roberts Shunned by His Neighbors as Backlash Over Pro-Fascist, Cruel, and Sadistic Trump Rulings Grows
Chief Justice John Roberts is being frozen out on the Maine island where he has summered for more than 20 years. Neighbors who once shared lobster dinners with him now keep their distance, skip gatherings, or show up to protest his rulings.
The break tracks the court's 2022 barbaric decision overturning Roe v. Wade and Roberts' 2024 opinion granting Donald Trump the same kind of broad immunity from prosecution that other authoritarian tyrants enjoy. Kayakers hold signs a few hundred yards from his house. "Roberts Benched the Constitution" appears on local roads. On Monhegan Island, people who recognized him chanted that he should be ashamed.
Longtime friends have pulled back. Members of a local cigar club skipped this summer's gatherings so they would not have to sit with Roberts and his wife. "It's harder for him to feel comfortable approaching people — and vice versa," said Mary Anne Mason, a former law partner.
His security detail has grown. He used to linger on the dock after church; on protest days he stays away. Wendy Schlotterbeck, a longtime neighbor, said she wanted to ask him directly: "Do you realize what your decisions are doing to my family and my community?"
A recent Gallup poll put the fascist-friendly Roberts Supreme Court's approval at a record low of 33% — which is still 33% higher than it should be.