Code of Conduct for United States Judges - Except For The Supreme Court

 

Code of Conduct for United States Judges

Except for the US Supreme Court, which apparently has no ethical standards.  Amazing.  What a load of crap. Congress has to enact standards for these clowns since they won't do it themselves.  

The Code of Conduct for United States Judges includes the ethical canons that apply to federal judges and provides guidance on their performance of official duties and engagement in a variety of outside activities.

(4) A judge should comply with the restrictions on acceptance of gifts and the prohibition on solicitation of gifts set forth in the Judicial Conference Gift Regulations. A judge should endeavor to prevent any member of the judge’s family residing in the household from soliciting or accepting a gift except to the extent that a judge would be permitted to do so by the Judicial Conference Gift Regulations. A “member of the judge’s family” means any relative of a judge by blood, adoption, or marriage, or any person treated by a judge as a member of the judge’s family.

https://www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/judiciary-policies/ethics-policies

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Pathetic.  This behavior would and should get any government employee fired and likely prosecuted.  But not the Supreme Court, which tolerates this.  I used to have respect for the Supreme Court. Not any more. Political slime.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has received dozens of luxury vacations, private jet flights and other gifts from wealthy friends, ProPublica reported Thursday, going beyond the publication’s previous reporting about Thomas’ relationship with real estate magnate Harlan Crow and fueling an ongoing ethics controversy about the conservative-leaning justice receiving luxury gifts without disclosing them.

Editorial: The Supreme Court would help itself by creating a code of ethics

 

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

AUG 12, 2023

 

5:30 AM

The two of them had it made. They lived in the greatest resort in the world, with everything they could possibly need and want, and were best friends with the guy who made it. They just had to avoid doing one small thing he told them not to do. And they did it because a stranger told them to. Why? Who knows. They tried to talk their way out of it, but the big guy booted them out. 

The story of Adam and Eve should be on the summer reading list for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and some of his colleagues, as they refuse to consider an ethics code for the high court.

The obvious need for one won’t go away. The court’s senior justice, Clarence Thomas, has yet again come into the news for taking very expensive gifts from very rich people, gifts he did not disclose to his colleagues or to the public. In its second major report on the justice, the investigative organization ProPublica found that “Thomas’ leisure activities have been underwritten by benefactors who share the ideology that drives his jurisprudence.” 

These include: “At least 38 destination vacations, including a previously unreported voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas; 26 private jet flights, plus an additional eight by helicopter; a dozen VIP passes to professional and college sporting events,” and much more.

Mr. Thomas has claimed these gifts did not affect his decisions. That may be true, but he would be the rare human being whose choices aren’t moved by gifts. Benefactors have said they never tried to influence him. Possibly, but they would be the rare human beings who would not use the chance to ask for something they want.

But even if everyone behaved angelically, the nine justices have such power and influence that they must be above any possible reproach. That means both the reality and the appearance of propriety. 330 million people must be able to trust that they will do their work as selflessly and objectively as humanly possible. 

And this particular court should take even greater lengths to protect its reputation. When you believe you need to tell the nation the Constitution requires something many Americans don’t want, you must make sure the nation feels sure of your integrity. Many will already be questioning your legitimacy because of your beliefs. You shouldn’t give them even more reason because of your behavior.

The justices should remember the story of Adam and Eve. Human beings fall to temptations they thought they never would. They take bad advice and do what bad people seduce them into doing.

The Supreme Court is tasked with interpreting a document written by men with a pessimistic view of human nature, who created a government with checks and balances to temper the effects of our bad behavior. The justices should apply the Founders’ wisdom to themselves, and create a detailed and binding code of ethics, which includes public disclosure of gifts — especially those of the magnitude Clarence Thomas received, and kept to himself.

First Published August 12, 2023, 5:30am

https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2023/08/12/supreme-court-clarence-thomas-gifts-ethics/stories/202308110108