Attorney General Anne Lopez has issued a joint statement, supported by 17 state attorneys general, in response to Vice President Vance’s remarks on judicial review made on February 9, 2025. The statement addresses the Vice President’s comments concerning the judiciary’s role in overseeing executive actions.
The joint statement criticizes Vice President Vance’s assertion that judges overstep their bounds when intervening in executive matters. “The Vice President’s statement is as wrong as it is reckless,” the attorneys general assert. They emphasize that judges do not control executive power but rather prevent unlawful and unconstitutional exercises of power. Citing Chief Justice Marshall from Marbury v. Madison, they stress the judiciary’s duty to interpret the law.
The statement underscores the importance of checks and balances within government, noting that all public officials, including generals and prosecutors, are subject to this principle. “No one is above the law,” it states.
The attorneys general also pledge vigilance regarding the administration’s actions, promising to act if constitutional or federal laws are violated. They highlight ongoing legal efforts to block what they describe as unlawful executive orders and actions, such as attempts to ban birthright citizenship and unauthorized disclosure of private data.
“Judges granted our motions and issued restraining orders to protect the American people, democracy, and the rule of law,” they affirm, emphasizing that safeguarding these principles is central to their mission.
Attorney General Lopez collaborated with her counterparts from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington in this response.
