Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito warned Thursday that a Democrat-controlled Congress could stop the Court's work by cutting off funding for its operations.
Speaking at the Federalist Society's Antonin Scalia Memorial Dinner, Alito said, "Congress can turn off the lights at the Supreme Court and stop everything from happening if they want to defund their activities."
"And there are many, many, many other things that they can do, or at least try to do," he added, according to The Hill.
The remarks came as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress. Progressive lawmakers and activists have been renewing calls to weaken or restructure the Court's conservative majority.
Alito said the judiciary's independence is essential to preserving the constitutional order. "So, it is important to preserve the independence of the judiciary," he said. "If that is eliminated, then the Constitution as adopted in 1789 will no longer be the same."
Article III of the Constitution protects the pay of Supreme Court and lower-court judges and bars Congress from reducing that compensation while they remain in office. Congress still holds broad control over appropriations and can limit the Court's operations and resources.
Alito also criticized lower-court judges who have issued sweeping orders blocking presidential policies. "They are dedicated, and they are skillful, but they're not perfect, and they make mistakes," he said. "And in some instances, I think they have gone far astray in abuse of their powers," he added.
Alito has served on the Supreme Court since 2006, after being nominated by President George W. Bush.
