From U.S. Senators Dick Blumenthal and Chris Murphy:
WASHINGTON—Tomorrow, U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) will announce the Supreme Court Ethics Act of 2013, which will require the United States Supreme Court to adopt a code of ethics for Supreme Court Justices. Unlike every other federal judge, Supreme Court justices are not subject to the Code of Conduct for United States Judges—a binding code of ethics that ensures neutrality and transparency in our courts. The Supreme Court Ethics Act of 2013 would require the Court to adopt a code of ethics within 180 days of passage.
A string of dubious ethical behavior has increased scrutiny of the Court and eroded public confidence in the institution, with Gallup reporting that Americans’ approval of the Supreme Court is nearing an all-time low. These concerns include justices allowing their names to be used to promote political fundraisers, attending seminars sponsored by high-profile political donors, failing to report family income from politically active groups, and failing to recuse themselves when deciding cases where there exists a conflict of interest. Furthermore, the Court’s pattern of siding with powerful corporate interests more often than preceding courts has drawn additional scrutiny.
In 2012, 212 legal scholars jointly urged the Court to adopt the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges. Over 125,000 Americans have signed a petition to Chief Justice John Roberts asking him to adopt a code of ethics for the high court.
*** SOUNDS LIKE A MUCH-NEEDED PLAN, NO? ***
Hey Ralph, did you get spit upon like Blumenthal claimed when he returned from Vietnam? He neither served in Vietnam, nor did he get spit on. So his plan for an ethical code for members of the Supreme Court sounds like an oxymoron. Blumenthal is a political fly who will do anything to get himself in the public eye. They say the most dangerous place in the world is between Blumenthal or Chuck Shumer and a TV camera.
*** SUPREME COURT JUSTICES SHOULD NOT BE ABOVE THE LAW AND NEED TO FOLLOW A CODE OF CONDUCT, TOO! *** BLUMENTHAL OVERALL, IN MY OPINION HAS BEEN GOOD FOR CT AND VETS DESPITE HIS OVERSIGHT WAR CLAIM ABOUT VIETNAM. *** HE’S EARNED A LIBERTY PASS! ***