Republican Congressman offers to work with AOC on reining in the power of the courts

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has another offer on the table from a conservative Republican to work across the aisle on an issue.

In response to Ocasio-Cortez's Wednesday afternoon tweet about how the Supreme Court has gotten things "horrfyingly wrong in the past" and therefore should therefore be checked by Congress, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, offered to work with her to rein in the power of the judicial branch.

"Hey @AOC if you want to join forces to limit the power/reach of SCOTUS and the Courts, sounds great!," Roy tweeted. "Let's discuss over lobby reform!"

"Party aside, the Supreme Court has gotten things horrifyingly wrong in the past," reads Ocasio-Cortez's tweet, which was itself a response to remarks she made earlier that day at a House Oversight Committee hearing. "That's why Congress must preserve our power and independence: we are part of the check + balance."

Article III of the U.S. Constitution outlines the Supreme Court's existence, judiciary power, and original jurisdiction, but gives Congress the power to "ordain and establish" lower courts.

A 2018 Congressional Research Service report describes other congressional checks on the judicial branch:

Article III authorizes Congress to determine what classes of "cases" and "controversies" inferior courts have jurisdiction to review. Additionally, Article III's Exceptions Clause grants Congress the power to make "exceptions" and "regulations" to the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction. Congress sometimes exercises this power by "stripping" federal courts of jurisdiction to hear a class of cases. Congress has gone so far as to eliminate a court's jurisdiction to review a particular case in the midst of litigation. More generally, Congress may influence judicial resolutions by amending the substantive law underlying particular litigation of interest to the legislature.

Roy's offer to "discuss over lobby reform" was in reference to his old boss' offer to work with Ocasio-Cortez on a completely different issue. Roy used to be the chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who offered to work with the New York congresswoman on the issue of lobbying reform last Month.

"Here's something I don't say often: on this point, I AGREE with @AOC" Cruz tweeted in May in response to an Ocasio-Cortez statement that members of Congress shouldn't become lobbyists. "Indeed, I have long called for a LIFETIME BAN on former Members of Congress becoming lobbyists. The Swamp would hate it, but perhaps a chance for some bipartisan cooperation?"

".@tedcruz if you're serious about a clean bill, then I'm down. Let's make a deal," the congresswoman responded. "If we can agree on a bill with no partisan snuck-in clauses, no poison pills, etc – just a straight, clean ban on members of Congress becoming paid lobbyists – then I'll co-lead the bill with you."