43 House Members Slam Justices Scalia, Thomas, And Alito For Ethics Scandals

[babsbunny]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/09/09/315555/members-take-on-scotus/

As ThinkProgress previously reported, Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) circulated a letter calling upon the House Judiciary Committee’s leadership to hold a hearing his bill ending the Supreme Court’s immunity to key judicial ethics laws. Murphy’s bill is inspired by numerous recent ethics scandals involving the Court’s most conservative members:

There have been alarming reports of justices – most notably Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito – attending political events and using their position to fundraise for organizations. These activities would be prohibited if the justices were required to abide by the Judicial Conference Code of Conduct, which currently applies to all other federal judges. <...>

[gratuitous]

1. This could be a political winner

Which, of course, means it probably has a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding. In the past, I thought it was important to insulate Supreme Court Justices from ethics requirements for two reasons: The danger of political chicanery tying up a justice or several justices with scurrilous complaints; and Supreme Court Justices were historically the best of the best, the finest legal minds in the country, who would never even sail close to the edge of unethical behavior.

The first reason continues to hold largely true. By shielding the Supreme Court from ethical rules, spurious complaints brought only to damage a justice's reputation and credibility are impossible. But the current crop of justices is no longer the best of the best. A seat on the Supreme Court is just another political plum to be handed out, a battle to "win" and a chit or marker to be used to advantage by one party or the other. It began with Robert Bork, but really spun into high gear with Clarence Thomas (thanks again, Arlen Specter), and has been ever since a game the Republicans have not been shy about playing.

I'd like to see this become an issue, and I'd like to see the Republicans have to answer pertinent and pointed questions about the shady ethics of their judicial darlings. When the Republicans fail to address the naked corruption, I hope the Democrats use it as a means to take back the House majority. And when they have it, convene their own Judicial Committee hearings. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that a sitting President can be subpoenaed for a deposition in a civil suit; there's no reason the Justices couldn't trundle themselves up Capitol Hill to answer a few questions about their personal dealings.

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, babsbunny.

[hifiguy]

3. Scalia and his buddy Thomas should be in prison

and Alito has no place on any bench, anywhere.

[Bonhomme Richard]

4. My Congressman and I am proud of him. n/t