Which statement best completes the diagram of the ways the different branches of government can limit one another's power? a. can obstruct the supreme court's rulings by refusing to enforce themb. can order the supreme court to follow precedent when ruling on certain cases c. can vote to remove supreme court justices accused of abusing their power d. can call for an election to replace justices who practice judicial activism

Correct C.

Congress can vote to remove Supreme Court justices accused of abusing their power.

The possibility of impeachment by Congress exists for all civil officers in the government, which included federal court judges and Supreme Court justices.  Regarding impeachment, Article 2, Section 4 of the Constitution says: "The president, vice president and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."  So it would have to be major abuses of their governmental positions, but Supreme Court justices could be impeached.  A subsequent article of the Constitution (Article 3, Section 1) states that "The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior."  So if very bad behavior was evidenced, Congress could begin impeachment proceedings against a Supreme Court justice.  That has only happened one time in US history -- in the case of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase, against whom impeachment charges were filed by the House of Representatives in 1804, on the grounds of being too partisan in his conduct as an ardent supporter of the Federalist Party.  Chase was acquitted by the Senate in 1805.    

The reason for Chase's impeachment strikes us as especially intriguing today, when Supreme Court nominees are very much caught between the partisan politicking of members of the Senate who are charged with approving nominees.

b

explanation: