"The Judicial Branch of our Government – Ethics Reforms for the Supreme Court" - S 2 EP 18

TOPLESS GOVERNMENT

My Citizen Legislators, the hits keep coming about the Supreme Court. Today I want to discuss the recent lapses of members of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism with a moral force. According to the ProPublica website, its mission is – To expose abuses of power and betrayals of the public trust by government, business, and other institutions, using the moral force of investigative journalism to spur reform through the sustained spotlighting of wrongdoing.

ProPublica investigating stories have shed sunshine on how members of SCOTUS have crossed the ethical line, and the integrity of the court is in question. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Supreme Court Ethics Reform on May 2, 2023. Witnesses testifying at the hearing were:

The Honorable Jeremy Fogel

Executive Director, Berkeley Judicial Institute and Former U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of CA

University of California, Berkeley Law School

Washington, D.C.

Kedric Payne

Vice President, General Counsel, & Senior Director of Ethics

Campaign Legal Center

Washington, D.C.

Amanda Frost

John A. Ewald Jr. Research Professor of Law

University of Virginia School of Law

Charlottesville, VA

The Honorable Michael B. Mukasey

Former United States Attorney General and Former U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of NY

New York, NY

Thomas H. Dupree Jr.

Partner and Co-Chair of the Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher

Washington, D.C.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) invited SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts to testify and he declined. He called such testimony by chief justice’s was “exceedingly rare”.

Forbes.com Here Are The Recent Controversies Supreme Court Justices Have Been Caught Up In—As Senate Hears Case For Code Of Ethics

KEY FACTS

The Senate committee will hold a hearing on Supreme Court ethics reform with a panel of legal experts, after committee chair Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) invited Chief Justice John Roberts to testify at the hearing and he declined.

Lawmakers have renewed their push for a binding ethics code—which the justices do not have, unlike lower federal judges—following ProPublica reports detailing Justice Clarence Thomas’ dealings with GOP megadonor Harlan Crow, whom Thomas has reportedly accepted gifts and luxury travel from for years without disclosing it as federal law requires.

Crow also purchased real estate in Savannah, Georgia, from Thomas in 2014—including the home where the justice’s mother reportedly still lives—ProPublica reported, which was also not disclosed as required.

Thomas has also drawn significant controversy over his wife, Ginni Thomas’ right-wing activism, particularly as she supported efforts to overturn the 2020 election as Thomas heard cases on it, and the justice has been criticized for failing to recuse himself in a case concerning documents being turned over to the House January 6 Committee.

Justice Neil Gorsuch then came under fire as Politico reported he sold real estate to the head of a law firm with business before the court in a 2017 transaction that took place days after Gorsuch was sworn in as a justice.

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This was Topless Government, the government and politics show. If you enjoyed it, I would be pleased if you would subscribe, rate, and review the show. We’re on YouTube and Facebook right now. Production is courtesy of Marcus Donovan, the Pasteurized Chief. You can check out his show – the District of Misfits Show – every Sunday evening. They go live at 10 pm. This show is a District Dogface Studios Production.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my knowledge and love of politics. I look forward to geeking out with you again.

ProPublica.org: FRIENDS OF THE COURT Clarence Thomas’ Beneficial Friendship With a GOP Megadonor

ProPublica.org: The Origins of Our Investigation Into Clarence Thomas’ Relationship With Harlan Crow

Bloomberglaw.com: Supreme Court Has a Lot to Learn About Ethics From Other Branches

Forbes.com: Here Are The Recent Controversies Supreme Court Justices Have Been Caught Up In—As Senate Hears Case For Code Of Ethics

Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Supreme Court Ethics Reform May 2 2023

NPR.org: Chief Justice Roberts declines to testify before Senate panel

SCOTUS.blog.com: Roberts declines invitation to testify at Senate hearing

NPR.org: Dueling narratives at the Senate hearing on the Supreme Court