John Roberts: payment of fed judges is a constitutional crisis

It's not the first time he addresses on this issue, but this time he puts it into his annual report, and his wording is so strong.

Pay for federal judges is so inadequate that it threatens to undermine the judiciary's independence, Chief Justice John Roberts says in a year-end report critical of Congress.

The issue of pay, says Roberts, "has now reached the level of a constitutional crisis."

It is the first time in the two-decade history of year-end reports by Roberts and his predecessor, the late William Rehnquist, that the chief justice's message has focused entirely on a single subject.

And the coming Democratic majority seems fond of the idea of pay increase

Leahy, incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Roberts "is right that the issue of judicial compensation relations to the issue of the independence of the judiciary." Leahy said the chief justice "has tackled a touchy but timely topic that has been a chronic sticking point between the judicial and legislative branches."

Over the past 16 years, Congress has provided the judiciary occasional cost-of-living adjustments, but Roberts said the absence of salary increases is "grievously unfair."

Isn't that funny, that a Chief Justice nominated by a Republican President and confirmed by a Republican Senate is asking for something, which hasn't been done in 12 years of Republican-held majority, and the new Democratic Senate seems has no problem with?