Scalia was Cheney hunt trip guest; ethics concern raised

[Newsjock]

Edit to add link, change title to match online version
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ducks5feb05,1,3912983.story?coll=la-home-headlines

By David G. Savage and Richard A. Serrano
(c) 2004, Los Angeles Times

PATTERSON, La. -- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia traveled as an official guest of Vice President Dick Cheney on a small government jet that served as Air Force Two when the pair came here last month to hunt ducks.

The revelation cast further doubts about whether Scalia can be an impartial judge in Cheney's upcoming case before the Supreme Court, legal ethics experts said. The hunting trip took place just weeks after the court agreed to take up Cheney's bid to keep secret the details of his energy policy task force.

... ``In my view, this further ratchets it up. If the vice president is the source of generosity, it means Scalia is accepting a gift of some value from a litigant in a case before him,'' said New York University Law Professor Stephen Gillers.

``It is not just a trip with a litigant. It's a trip at the expense of the litigant. This is an easy case for stepping aside,'' he said.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. No, he flew at our expense. Cheney, I am sure had NO out of

pocket expenses for this little jaunt.

[truthisfreedom]

8. so, first we hear he was flown on an energy company jet, and now it turns

out we paid for these two connivers to collude over gunpowder and single-malt scotch?

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

11. Who paid for Scalia's trip back to Washington?

My guess is he flew back on an oil company corporate jet.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. No, I am sure he took USAF back... being a SCOTUS

scrotum he can.

[digno dave]

23. the kiccker is that

they were staying at a camp owned by an oil industry executive.

[Grins]

30. That's what I heard. Now..

Who was this oil executive? Anyone in La. know?

Other questions I have are:
Was this executive one of those invited by Cheney to write the energy legislation?
Is he a heavy repub contributor?
Who are his "friends"?

[Grins]

31. Never mind...found who

Camp is owned by Wallace Carline, the head of Diamond Services Corp.

[DemoTex]

2. They just don't get it.

On second thought, they do.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

5. Yeah, they pretty much have been getting everything they

want. With hard work and luck that may be coming to an end.

[Bandit]

22. Quite some Fruit Salad

:thumbsup:

[Ctuser]

26. no they got it

the American people don't get it yet but they're catchin on some don't or won't understand.

[kskiska]

3. It's not a gift. It's a BRIBE!

If this were anyone else, common sense would rule.

[indepat]

18. If Scalia doesn't recuse himself, wonder if an impeachment drive will

be mounted. Such would never get legs for surely partisanship would reign supreme.

[tabasco]

24. The other justices should raise a stink if he does not recuse.

Even if he is NOT prejudiced by the gifts, the appearance of propriety is just as important to the American people. The highest court of the land must abide by the highest standards.

[Lefta Dissenter]

4. this makes me absolutely crazy!

How can ANYONE vote for those bastards!?!!!!

[gatlingforme]

6. Makes me sick too

Cheney is a weasle and Scalia has a judgement problem...together they make a nasty little pair I wonder what they talked about humm....

[Robb]

7. Sometimes I get the feeling, here on DU,

...that we're standing in a burning building full of deaf people yelling "fire".

Just once I'd like to see something on TV before I hear about it on DU. Or even have TV be on the same day. DU is ahead of everybody it seems.

[JitterbugPerfume]

9. maddening

isn't it?

[David Zephyr]

14. Surreal.

Unbelievable.

[Catherine Vincent]

10. Imagine the outrage had this been VP Gore and one of the

liberla justices?

[dusty64]

16. There'd be impeachment

proceedings for both. What kind of outrage does an extreme court "justice" have to commit before they can be removed. That POS never had ANY business in any court.

[Yavin4]

12. Scalia and Cheaney

A love that dare not speak its name.

Can't we leave these crazy in love kids alone. Can't two men in America take a romantic holiday away together without everyone getting all upset. Where's the tolerance people? It's 2004!!!!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

29. "A love that dare not speak its name. " pic here

[sonias]

13. Obviously Scalia is using the defense of it depends..

on what the meaning of "impartiality" is. Of course in Scalia's warped little mind he is above questioning. He is after all not a liberal activist judge, and his strict constitutional interpretation of the law makes him above reproach. They keep getting more and more blatant about their arrogance.

(snip)
Judges are bound by different rules, however. Federal law says that "any justice or judge shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might be questioned."
(/snip)

Sonia

[dusty64]

17. This IS too unbelievable.

What are the requirements to impeach a judge? It's obvious the strategy here, get fat tony on board (like he wouldn't be) and his puppet thomas will be sure to follow. There would also be little doubt how rehquist would vote, as he has competely blown this off as NOT a conflict of interest. It infuritates me to see this shit, remembering the manufactured "outrage" over EVERYTHING Clinton and Gore did. This whole story is sad proof that our system is broken, can it be fixed? The VRWC has discovered and exploited every chink in the armor of our Democracy and found a way to dismantle all checks and balances. This November is our last hope, the Democrats margin of victory will have to be large to overcome the electronic voting machines.

[Peregrine]

27. Same as the president

High crimes and misdemeanors, House votes for impeachment, senate votes on removal, chief justice (or senior justice if CJ is target) presides.

In 1953 the Republicans attempted to impeach William O. Douglas for granting a stay of execution for the Rosenbergs.

[snippy]

19. Only an idiot would expect ethical behavior from Fat Tony and Crashcart.

[cybildisobedience]

20. this is another case where a lack of liberal media hurts us

Can you imagine if this were a Democratic vp and a liberal S.C. justice? It would be all you'd hear on talk radio, and read on Drudge, and then read in the New York Times because it was reported on Drudge, and then all the tv whores would be talking about it and people would be calling their representatives demanding that the justice recuse himself. They would have created the outrage. Instead, it's a tiny story buried somewhere, and Scalia and Cheney, in their hateful arrogance, won't even stoop to acknowledge -- let alone rectify the situation.

[snippy]

21. True.

The outrage would be deafening and never ending.

[banana republican]

25. Reminds me of

Dick and Tony
Sitting in a Tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G

[ElsewheresDaughter]

28. pic

[CBHagman]

32. Recusal demands mean nothing to this Supreme Court

Clarence Thomas's WIFE was on the BUSH PAYROLL when Bush v. Gore was decided. Do you think this court gives a rat's rear end about ethics?

[dusty64]

33. Kick!

Did this make the news this evening?

[tabasco]

34. Yes it did, on CBS.

Don't know about the other networks.