By Amanda Terkel
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich went off on the American judicial system during Thursday night's GOP debate, saying courts have become "grotesquely dictatorial, far too powerful and ... frankly arrogant in their misreading of the American people."
Gingrich has called for the abolition of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which is despised by conservatives for many of its liberal rulings.
Referencing the Ninth Circuit, Gingrich said that judges who believe the phrase "One nation, under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance violates the separation of church and state are "radically Anti-American" and should not be wearing the robe.
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) also advocated against abolishing courts and allowing Congress to subpoena judges to account for their decisions, as Gingrich suggested, saying it may "open up a can of words."
"Yes, we are frustrated with this," he said. "But the whole thing is if you just say, 'Well, we are going to -- okay, there are 10 courts. Let's get rid of three this year because they ruled a way we didn't like.' That to me is, I think, opening up a can of worms for us and would lead to trouble. But I really, really question this idea that the Congress could subpoena judges and bring them before us. That is a real affront to the separation of the powers.
More: Newt Gingrich: Abolish Liberal, 'Anti-American' Courts
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