Chief Justice John Roberts is facing renewed scrutiny after his past connection to Chief Judge James E. “Jeb” Boasberg has come under the spotlight. Boasberg, who was appointed to the U.S. District Court by former President Barack Obama in 2011, was later tapped by Roberts in 2014 to serve on the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA), which approved surveillance on President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.
The connection has drawn sharp criticism, as Boasberg now finds himself at the center of an impeachment effort led by House Republicans. Boasberg, who currently serves as the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has been accused of judicial overreach in blocking President Trump’s deportation efforts.
On Tuesday, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) introduced articles of impeachment against him, accusing Boasberg of abusing his power to obstruct Trump’s lawful authority to enforce immigration laws. Gill’s resolution specifically charges Boasberg with interfering in the execution of the Alien Enemies Act, which gives the president broad powers to remove foreign nationals deemed a threat to national security.
The impeachment article states that Boasberg “usurped the role of the Executive and unilaterally took upon himself the power and authority of the