In an essay published in the Huffington Post on July 3, Professor Lisa McElroy said U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ unexpected ruling on health care reforms reflected the jurist’s fundamental decency.

Roberts sparked criticism from conservatives after writing an opinion upholding most provisions of the Affordable Care Act, President Obama's signature domestic policy initiative.

In the essay, McElroy recounts her own 2005 interview with Roberts, when he had recently taken office and she was writing a biography about him for children. In the interview, McElroy said, Roberts revealed graciousness and warmth that belied his power.  

While Roberts is “an ideological animal,” McElroy acknowledged, the chief justice's judicial ethics and “decent streak” prevented him from overriding the controversial federal law.