The debate over whether individual Justices have behaved appropriately in specific cases underscores why it's so important for the Supreme Court as an institution to be more accountable
The only way true accountability can be ensured for the Justices commitment to some ethical rules is to have the Judicial Conference, composed of Circuit Judges, and allow members of the Court and the public in general to file complaints with the Judicial Conference. If deemed meritorious, the Judicial Conference can hold a hearing and make a binding decision on the complaint. Supervision of ethics needs to be by an independent body. Also the Court must publish these supposed ethical rules they have agreed to. Public Disclosure is necessary. The Supremes are not really supreme nor independent..
I very much enjoyed the installment on the Court’s (lack of) ethics or accountability. Before I get more into that wasn’t the World Series not played for a couple of years during WW2? I could be wrong but I thought it was...
For most of my Court critiques I turn to Senator Whitehouse. His speeches on “The Scheme” were turned into a book on the systematic takeover of SCOTUS by the Federalist Society which, of course, is funded by the fossil fuel industry, other big corporations and wealthy individuals. Senator Whitehouse has persistently and eloquently explained the correlation between the big money donor interests and the decisions of the right-wing Court majority. He makes a compelling case that it’s far from the mere individual corruption of individual judges but a years long project by wealthy corporate interests to capture the Court to foil any popular attempt to rein in corporate greed and special privileges through legislation. The current court is very clearly doing the bidding of wealthy corporations, the same people the own and control the Republican Party and the corporate media. I’m afraid as this continues things will get much worse for this country and this planet before it gets any better. 🌎🔥
The issue revolves around transparency. Accountability is, frankly, what one makes of it. Justice Thomas is in a bind as his wife is politically active and her activities inevitably bleeds into his life for good and bad. Are we to criticize John Adams for reading Abigail’s letters voicing her opinions about what should be in the Constitution? A bit out there in that comparison, but the point is that as much as we want our justices to be completely insulated, they aren’t and shouldn’t be. The next step is to be as transparent as possible.
The only way true accountability can be ensured for the Justices commitment to some ethical rules is to have the Judicial Conference, composed of Circuit Judges, and allow members of the Court and the public in general to file complaints with the Judicial Conference. If deemed meritorious, the Judicial Conference can hold a hearing and make a binding decision on the complaint. Supervision of ethics needs to be by an independent body. Also the Court must publish these supposed ethical rules they have agreed to. Public Disclosure is necessary. The Supremes are not really supreme nor independent..
I very much enjoyed the installment on the Court’s (lack of) ethics or accountability. Before I get more into that wasn’t the World Series not played for a couple of years during WW2? I could be wrong but I thought it was...
For most of my Court critiques I turn to Senator Whitehouse. His speeches on “The Scheme” were turned into a book on the systematic takeover of SCOTUS by the Federalist Society which, of course, is funded by the fossil fuel industry, other big corporations and wealthy individuals. Senator Whitehouse has persistently and eloquently explained the correlation between the big money donor interests and the decisions of the right-wing Court majority. He makes a compelling case that it’s far from the mere individual corruption of individual judges but a years long project by wealthy corporate interests to capture the Court to foil any popular attempt to rein in corporate greed and special privileges through legislation. The current court is very clearly doing the bidding of wealthy corporations, the same people the own and control the Republican Party and the corporate media. I’m afraid as this continues things will get much worse for this country and this planet before it gets any better. 🌎🔥
The issue revolves around transparency. Accountability is, frankly, what one makes of it. Justice Thomas is in a bind as his wife is politically active and her activities inevitably bleeds into his life for good and bad. Are we to criticize John Adams for reading Abigail’s letters voicing her opinions about what should be in the Constitution? A bit out there in that comparison, but the point is that as much as we want our justices to be completely insulated, they aren’t and shouldn’t be. The next step is to be as transparent as possible.
Steve, I was a baseball nerd when I was growing up. I didn’t choose law was a career, but became a SCOTUS nerd a few years ago. Great minds!
You make such cogent points. Senator Durbin ought to get your testimony concerning this issue.
So if we all agree that SCOTUS is a corrupt, illegitimate body then why are their decisions (this is, after all, just 9 people) followed?
Impatiently waiting for my copy of Shadow Docket to be delivered...