Washington Post reporter mocked for pointing out 'meaningless facts' about the Supreme Court
Philip Bump refers to justices as 'the minoritarian third'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Washington Post reporter Philip Bump faced backlash for calling out the "minoritarian third" of the Supreme Court, which was nominated by former President Trump.
On Thursday, Bump published an article titled "The minoritarian third of the Supreme Court" which he noted were nominated by a president who lost the popular vote and supported by senators who represent a minority of the country's population.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The three, it turns out, nominated by a president who lost the popular vote and confirmed by senators representing less of the country’s population and who had received fewer cumulative votes than those who opposed the nominations," Bump wrote.
Bump is referring to former President Trump and the three Supreme Court justices he appointed during his presidency: Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
FILE - In this April 23, 2021, file photo members of the Supreme Court pose for a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool, File) (AP)
Several people called out Bump for highlighting these "meaningless facts."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Thank you for these truly meaningless facts," National Review writer Alexandra DeSanctis Marr tweeted.
Grabien founder Tom Elliot wrote "I hope you didn’t hurt yourself coming up w/ this."
National Review senior writer David Harsanyi said, "how does one become a writer at a major newspaper without understanding basic civics or the most fundamental aspects of american governance?"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Other critics called out Bump for singling out Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett but excusing Justice Stephen Breyer for also being nominated by a president who did not win the majority of the popular vote.
"Only those latter three, though, were nominated by a president who didn’t win the popular vote. Stephen G. Breyer was nominated by Bill Clinton in 1994, after Clinton won only 43 percent of the popular vote, but that was a function of the strong third-party candidacy of Ross Perot," Bump wrote.
"Leftists never use Clinton’s 43% popular vote victory to undermine legitimacy of RBG/Breyer rulings. It’s cherry-picking standards to undermine institutions based on undesired outcomes. All justices were nominated by a duly-elected POTUS & Senate confirmed. That’s our system," Fox News contributor Guy Benson tweeted.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Washington Examiner commentator Becket Adams tweeted "lmaoooo ‘breyer doesn’t count because of perot.’ wtf even is this?"
"Roe was written by Harry Blackmun, who was also appointed by a president elected with 43% of the vote," National Review senior writer Dan McLaughlin wrote.
A police officer patrols in front of of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. Photographer: Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Various media figures and Democrat lawmakers have begun attacking the legitimacy of the Supreme Court as an institution after the justices heard oral arguments on Wednesday regarding the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health case-which could potentially overrule or scale back Roe v. Wade.
New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, "Out of 9 justices, 3 were appointed by a man who tried to overthrow the US government (& elected via minority). Those 3 will decide whether the US will legalize forcing people to give birth against their will. Legitimacy requires consent of the governed. They are dismantling it."
Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.