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turbinetree

(24,631 posts)
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 04:35 PM Sep 2017

Justice Gorsuch Under Fire For Trump Hotel Speech

Supreme Court justice Neil Gorsuch was under fire Thursday as he prepared to deliver a speech at a Washington hotel owned by US President Donald Trump, who appointed him to the bench.

Denouncing it as a conflict of interest and apparent display of political support, which is prohibited by the Constitution, activists, lawyers and academics have unsuccessfully sought the cancellation of Gorsuch's speech at a luncheon at the Trump International Hotel.

Justices at the US Supreme Court may participate in events organized by institutes with clear political stances -- such as the conservative Fund for American Studies which organized Thursday's lunch -- but for critics, the fact that Gorsuch is a featured speaker at Trump's hotel raises ethical issues.

Although the confirmation process for Supreme Court justices is extremely political, the court's members are required to follow a code of conduct that prohibits them from expressing their political preferences.


http://www.nationalmemo.com/justice-gorsuch-fire-trump-hotel-speech/

This jerk really has no business having on a black robe on any bench, especially in a court room

27 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Justice Gorsuch Under Fire For Trump Hotel Speech (Original Post) turbinetree Sep 2017 OP
K&R HipChick Sep 2017 #1
If I ever see him back in Colorado, I will not hold back from what I think.... hlthe2b Sep 2017 #2
Gorsuchs Blues Heron Sep 2017 #3
He NEEDS to step down ProudLib72 Sep 2017 #4
It never stopped Scalia, but I wish he would be gone. Alice11111 Sep 2017 #5
I hope that when Dems have again gained control ProudLib72 Sep 2017 #6
I think once someone in on SCOTUS, there's not much anyone Alice11111 Sep 2017 #7
I know you're right ProudLib72 Sep 2017 #13
Yes. It is good he is being ignored so DTs base is mad Alice11111 Sep 2017 #16
I hope that when Dems take back control maxrandb Sep 2017 #18
Yes. Let's dream. Alice11111 Sep 2017 #19
The Kochs invested a great deal in getting Gorsuch on the court, and he is being paid for this speec Hortensis Sep 2017 #8
The sooner the Koch Brothers are cast into the fiery pit from hell from which they came, the better! Initech Sep 2017 #15
Unfortunately, the "brothers" have descendants. It was one of them who arranged Hortensis Oct 2017 #21
The sad thing is I don't think a mere election is going to stop them. Initech Oct 2017 #25
This makes me ill. It was bad enough without pay. Alice11111 Sep 2017 #17
Your last sentence needs to be amended PJMcK Sep 2017 #9
that will work................. turbinetree Sep 2017 #10
I have been there a few times, it's just a hotel Sen. Walter Sobchak Sep 2017 #11
When Democrats have the requisite majority, impeach and remove this asshole dalton99a Sep 2017 #12
It's not just Trump - McConnell and Ryan also have to go. Initech Oct 2017 #26
The only black robe he should wear? raven mad Sep 2017 #14
It was obvious from the day he was nominated what he was going to be like on the bench DFW Oct 2017 #20
Yeah. He's a swinish bircher repuglinazi. nt Mc Mike Oct 2017 #22
Impeach him HAB911 Oct 2017 #23
ethics schmethics....these fuckers wouldn't know ethics if they bit them on the ass spanone Oct 2017 #24
Gorsuch must be removed, not only illegally installed but he is a sycophant who will Eliot Rosewater Oct 2017 #27

ProudLib72

(17,984 posts)
4. He NEEDS to step down
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 05:17 PM
Sep 2017

NOW!!!! He's illegitimate, and whatever small piece of legitimacy he might have had has been killed by this latest move.

Alice11111

(5,730 posts)
5. It never stopped Scalia, but I wish he would be gone.
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 05:33 PM
Sep 2017

Sadly, he's only 49. We have 30 or 40 years to go of the corrupt, vain hypocrite.

ProudLib72

(17,984 posts)
6. I hope that when Dems have again gained control
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 05:46 PM
Sep 2017

We can apply massive pressure to get him to step down. This should be a part of our platform.

Alice11111

(5,730 posts)
7. I think once someone in on SCOTUS, there's not much anyone
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 05:51 PM
Sep 2017

can do. They aren't bound by rules for other lawyers or jurist. He doesn't care about pressure, he is there for life. He will just give the metaphorical middle finger & twist the knife more. This really has been MM & DTs biggest achievement.

ProudLib72

(17,984 posts)
13. I know you're right
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 08:59 PM
Sep 2017

The major problem right now is that there is so much else going on that no one is watching the SCOTUS. When things return to normal, I think people are going to start questioning the integrity of the SCOTUS because of Gorsuch. I mean, there have been articles about its integrity already, but they are overshadowed by hurricanes and NFL players taking a knee. I really want to believe that, if Gorsuch was made a top news story, CO disbarred him, and he was going to be impeached, then maybe he would step down.

Again, wishful thinking and I'm not holding my breath. These are possibilities, but I do certainly understand they are very, very remote.

Alice11111

(5,730 posts)
16. Yes. It is good he is being ignored so DTs base is mad
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 11:17 PM
Sep 2017

that the Republicans in Congress haven't done anything, and they are mad at MM. Let them throw the bastards out. They are too dumb to know that MM, who of course, makes me ill, handed them Gorsuch, pretty much on a silver plater...MM already gave them the big prize.

maxrandb

(15,188 posts)
18. I hope that when Dems take back control
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 11:48 PM
Sep 2017

they kill the filibuster, add 3 more seats to the Supreme Court, and the Dem President appoints judges that will give Lindsay Graham the vapors.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
8. The Kochs invested a great deal in getting Gorsuch on the court, and he is being paid for this speec
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 06:15 PM
Sep 2017

by the Fund for American Studies (TFAS), an untraconservative group funded by the Koch brothers and dark-money organization Donors Trust.

For 5 decades TFAS has been working to develop new leaders who share an ultraconservative/libertarian view of the constitution and government. When people like the Kochs say that only a small amount of their political activity is invested in elections, this is a big part of the kind of "other" activity they mean. TFAS approved people are helped to eventually gain important positions in institutions of all sorts across the nation. TFAS also belongs to the State Policy Network, an umbrella organization heading a web of ultraconservative think tanks and other tax-exempt organizations also across the nation. Reportedly it's funded by the same people who fund ALEC.

So these are the people Gorsuch is at the Trump hotel to honor. For sure he owes them a lot, like his seat on the court.

When Gorsuch was initially up for a spot on the Supreme Court, Mary Elizabeth Taylor—an alumni of a TFAS program and a former intern for Koch Industries—helped shepherd him through the process. A quick search for “Koch” on TFAS’s website reveals that Taylor is far from the only TFAS program alum who has gone on to work for the Kochs, and that the Kochs have sponsored events for the organization.

Gorsuch, confirmed to the Court earlier this year, has other ties to the Kochs. The brothers helped wage a sustained campaign to ensure Gorsuch made his way to the highest court in the land.

Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), a Koch group, launched a digital campaign in February urging senators to confirm Gorsuch. Though Charles and David Koch did not activate their vast political machine in support of Trump during the presidential election, Trump nevertheless tapped CVA to work on veterans’ issues after he won. The Koch group estimated it had made more than 250,000 calls to supporters in 11 states to accomplish its goal of confirming Gorsuch to the Court, according to the conservative National Review.

The Kochs also help fund the Federalist Society, a conservative legal organization of which Gorsuch was a member and that worked to ensure he was confirmed to the Supreme Court.


https://rewire.news/article/2017/09/05/gorsuchs-speak-trump-tower/

Initech

(99,909 posts)
15. The sooner the Koch Brothers are cast into the fiery pit from hell from which they came, the better!
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 09:19 PM
Sep 2017

And there is a special place in hell reserved just for them!

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
21. Unfortunately, the "brothers" have descendants. It was one of them who arranged
Sun Oct 1, 2017, 08:01 AM
Oct 2017

with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, then Texas's AG, to change the law so citizens could no longer find out if dangerous chemicals were being stored in their neighborhoods. Texas has NO zoning controls, a lot are, and what was where was formerly public record.

That this Koch was a grandson is just something I happened to read. I'm sure he and others are similarly busy today. Koch Industries officially operates in only 36 or so states (and 50 or socountries), but their interests seem to extend to all, such as interfering in local bond issues for improving public transportation, zoos, etc.

Btw, what's the connection between obliging the Kochs and Gov. Abbott's current position? Or with the prompt and adequate federal aid Texas got after Harvey? Abbott's up for reelection in 2018 and there's talk about a run for president in 2020.

I'd say waiting for death to rid us of these people would be a bad mistake.

Initech

(99,909 posts)
25. The sad thing is I don't think a mere election is going to stop them.
Sun Oct 1, 2017, 02:04 PM
Oct 2017

We can talk about getting out the vote in 2018, 2020, 2022, all we want. The fact of the matter is that the fucking Koch Tea Party has done more damage to our government than we can fathom. I think there's only going to be one of 3 ways out of this - war, a full on revolt, or an uprising. None of which would have a good outcome.

PJMcK

(21,916 posts)
9. Your last sentence needs to be amended
Sat Sep 30, 2017, 06:52 PM
Sep 2017

It should read, "This jerk really should really wear his white robe and hood."

DFW

(54,048 posts)
20. It was obvious from the day he was nominated what he was going to be like on the bench
Sun Oct 1, 2017, 12:01 AM
Oct 2017

He has conformed without deviation to those expectations.

Eliot Rosewater

(31,096 posts)
27. Gorsuch must be removed, not only illegally installed but he is a sycophant who will
Sun Oct 1, 2017, 02:10 PM
Oct 2017

never, not once, follow the law or constitution, he will solely do what the corporate overlords want.

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