WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Friday insisted that America’s system of government prevents any one person from accumulating “too much power,” even as critics accused the court of increasingly siding with former President Donald Trump on critical legal questions.
Kavanaugh made the remarks at a Washington event honoring his onetime mentor, Kenneth Starr, the conservative legal figure best known for leading the investigation into former President Bill Clinton during the 1990s. Starr, who died in 2022, was celebrated by many on the right as a champion of judicial restraint and constitutional order.
Kavanaugh’s Defense of the System
Speaking to a crowd of legal scholars, judges, and political figures, Kavanaugh praised Starr’s legacy while emphasizing the resilience of America’s checks and balances.
“The genius of our system is that no one person has too much power,” Kavanaugh said. “That has been true since the founding and continues to be true today.”
He argued that the separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches ensures accountability, even in moments of political upheaval. “The Constitution does not permit kings, strongmen, or unchecked leaders,” he added.
Critics Push Back
Despite Kavanaugh’s assurances, legal analysts and progressive groups argue that the Supreme Court — now with a 6-3 conservative majority — has repeatedly handed down rulings favorable to Trump and his allies.
Recent decisions on presidential immunity, executive power, and election oversight have raised alarm among critics who contend the court is undermining democratic guardrails.
“Justice Kavanaugh’s words don’t match the court’s actions,” said Caroline Fredrickson, a constitutional law professor. “By granting expansive powers to the presidency, the court risks tilting the balance toward authoritarianism rather than away from it.”
Remembering Kenneth Starr
The event was as much a memorial as it was a legal forum. Starr, who once served as a federal judge and U.S. solicitor general, was remembered for his decades of conservative legal advocacy.
While many on the right celebrated Starr’s role in shaping constitutional interpretation, his career also drew sharp criticism, particularly for the highly publicized Clinton investigation that led to impeachment proceedings.
Kavanaugh, who worked under Starr in the 1990s, described him as “a model of integrity and constitutional fidelity.”
The Larger Political Context
The justice’s comments come at a time when public trust in the Supreme Court is at historic lows. Polling shows that many Americans view the court as a partisan body rather than an impartial arbiter of law.
Democratic lawmakers have floated proposals ranging from court expansion to stricter ethics rules in response to perceived bias. Meanwhile, conservative groups have defended the court, arguing that its decisions reflect faithful readings of the Constitution.
Kavanaugh did not directly address these criticisms, but he acknowledged that the court is under intense public scrutiny. “Debate about the court is not new,” he said. “That debate itself reflects the vibrancy of our democracy.”
Looking Ahead
As the Supreme Court prepares for a new term, cases related to presidential power, election law, and social issues are expected to keep the justices in the political spotlight. Kavanaugh’s remarks may have been intended to reassure the public, but they are unlikely to quiet critics who see the court as increasingly aligned with Trump-era legal arguments.
For now, the clash between perception and principle continues: a justice insisting no one wields excessive power, and opponents warning that the judiciary itself may be shifting the balance.
