Rep. Chris Murphy Announces Bill To End Supreme Court Immunity To Judicial Ethics Law

[cal04]

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/18/no-scotus-immunity/

The Code of Conduct for United States Judges provides that in almost all circumstances, “a judge should not personally participate in fund-raising activities.” Yet, because the Justices of the Supreme Court have exempted themselves from this Code, conservative Justices Scalia, Thomas and Alito have all participated in high-dollar fundraisers for right-wing political causes. In response to this unethical — but technically legal — conduct by these three justices, Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) is pushing a bill that would end the Supreme Court’s immunity to federal ethics law:

After learning about outrageous actions by Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) is working on legislation to end conflicts of interest at the nation’s highest court. In the midst of the Citizens United case, Thomas and Scalia were hosted by the infamous Koch brothers, who funded many of the attacks ads this fall, at lavish retreats intended to discuss their radical agenda and plot political strategy on issues like the Citizens United case

Murphy’s bill will:
apply the Judicial Conference’s Code of Conduct, which applies to all other federal judges, to Supreme Court justices. This would allow the public to access more timely and detailed information when an outside group wants to have a justice participate in a conference, such as the funders of the conference;

(more at link)

[Tx4obama]

1. K & R n/t

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. It will only impact future actions if it passes

But it is still a damn good thing to do

[MineralMan]

3. Good job. Sadly, it won't pass, I'm afraid.

Not this year.

[ThomCat]

10. Republicans will right to block it.

They have to protect their partisan allies on the Supreme Court, after all. And in return, those partisan allies will continue to help them in partisan ways. :(

[spanone]

4. so they are immune to ethics laws? no one shoud be.

i thought law applied to everyone? silly me

[Angry Dragon]

7. Only in your world

:hi: :hi: :hi:

If you have money and power you set your own laws

Sadly this is where this country finds itself.

Steal $100 from a 7-11 and get ten years
Steal $750 million get a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again

[pacalo]

8. Really. As it stands, these guys are technically above the law & that legal gap

needs to be closed.

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, cal.:thumbsup:

[Hosnon]

6. This could possibly ignite an interesting constitutional battle.

The SCOTUS would likely rule that the legislation is a violation of separation of powers and the inherent authority of the SCOTUS to set its own rules.

[DCKit]

9. Checks and Balances?

With such a law, at least Thomas and Scalia would have to retire and go on the lecture circuit to maintain the type of income they've become used to.

[fasttense]

11. But it's more than just violating ethics laws.

Thomas and Scalia falsified documents. They are taking bribes and not reporting them.

The American Supreme Court is a joke. They ignore laws and precedent in favor of promoting their political power. It's simply Banana Republic ethics.