(CNN) Chief Justice John Roberts alluded to the bitter and partisan confirmation battle over Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court in an appearance Tuesday night -- his first public remarks on the topic.

Roberts stressed in a speech at the University of Minnesota Law School that the judiciary "requires independence from the political branches."

"I will not criticize the political branches," he said, but added that the judicial branch "must be very different."

"I have great respect for our public officials. After all, they speak for the people, and that commands a certain degree of humility from those of us in the judicial branch who do not," he said. "But we speak for the Constitution -- our role is very clear. We are to interpret the laws and Constitution of the United States and ensure that the political branches act within them."

"That job obviously requires independence from the political branches," he said.

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