![]() In April, all nine justices released a new statement hoping to provide “clarity” to the public about their ethics procedures, noting that they consult a “wide variety of authorities” when addressing specific ethics issues. Roberts and others have continuously stressed how difficult it would be to adopt such a code, particularly when it comes to recusal issues. Sitting next to the chief justice on Roberts’ home turf, Durbin lobbied him to adopt an enforceable code of conduct directed specifically at the justices, according to a source. Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, a Democrat, traveled to the Supreme Court on September 12 as an invited guest to the annual meeting of the Judicial Conference – the policymaking body for the federal courts. “I don’t see him moving in any direction to encourage further disclosure reforms, and I don’t see Congress as being able to get sufficient traction,” Cate Stetson, a lawyer at Hogan Lovells, said at the Cato Institute earlier this month.īut if the court does nothing, pressure will continue. Some believe Roberts ultimately will steer clear of the controversy. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito might, for instance, balk at such a move arguing that it would never satisfy critics whose true goal is to damage the institution. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters/FILEĪs Clarence Thomas faces record unpopularity, Americans want an ethics code for the Supreme CourtĮven if he did believe a formal ethics code is necessary, it’s unclear whether he would need a unanimous vote to move forward. ![]() Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas poses during a group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., October 7, 2022. The way forward for Roberts is not obvious.įILE PHOTO: U.S. It was unclear if the line was directed at his dissenting colleagues or critics outside of court or both, but it was an unusual digression from a justice who, by definition, lacks an obvious pulpit to defend his branch of government. Noting her disagreement, Roberts took the occasion to write, “we do not mistake this plainly heartfelt disagreement for disparagement.” He added: “Any such misperception would be harmful to this institution and our country,” he wrote. “In every respect, the Court today exceeds its proper limited role in our Nation’s governance,” Kagan began. He appeared to be responding to the dissent penned by Justice Elena Kagan and joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson. He said that it had become a “disturbing feature of some recent opinions to criticize the decisions with which they disagree as going beyond the proper role of government.” In a 6-3 opinion striking down President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, the chief strayed from the case at hand. ProPublica: Clarence Thomas attended Koch network donor eventsīut at the end of June, as controversy continued amid a raft of high-profile decisions that largely broke along ideological lines, Roberts made an unusual choice. Supreme Court Associate Justice on the South Lawn of the White House Octoin Washington, DC. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas attends the ceremonial swearing-in ceremony for Amy Coney Barrett to be the U.S. In May, speaking before an audience in Washington, Roberts said he wanted to assure the public that the court is committed to adhering to the “highest standards of conduct.” Others say he cannot afford to do so.Įarlier this year, Roberts declined an invitation to appear before the Democratic-led Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss Supreme Court ethics, citing separation of powers concerns. Some say he’ll remain on the sidelines, out of the fray. How he navigates this term will shape the trajectory of his tenure going forward. Tuesday, the justices will meet in person for their first closed-door conference of the term.Ĭhief Justice John Roberts is at the center of it all. At public appearances they grasp at the promise of judicial independence while sending mixed signals about changes that might be afoot. Their opinions feature prominently on the campaign trail, approval ratings have plummeted to new lows and Democrats in Congress are vowing to regulate the third branch in the midst of allegations justices are skirting ethics rules and attacks on the very legitimacy of the court. Wade, the justices find themselves catapulted into the very center of the political discourse. In the wake of a series of controversial decisions made possible by former President Donald Trump’s three nominees, including the seismic reversal of Roe v. The Supreme Court returns to Washington to face a new term and the fresh reality that critics increasingly view the court as a political body.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |