I recently was asked what I thought about Justice Alito saying, “No provision in the Constitution gives [Congress] the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period.”

So I want to share what I said. Apparently my response made some headlines, but I stand by it 100%.

Alito’s response is just stunningly wrong, and he should know that better than anyone else. His Supreme Court seat only exists because of an act passed by Congress.

Congress establishes the number of justices on the Supreme Court. It’s Congress that establishes ethical disclosure rules for public officials, including federal judges.

It is wrong on the facts to say that Congress has no authority to make rules guiding the Supreme Court. From the beginning, Congress has set the rules.

But it’s even more disturbing that Justice Alito feels the need to insert himself into a congressional debate. It is just more evidence that these conservative justices see themselves as politicians.

They see themselves as a second legislative body with the right to impose their political will on the country. They are going to bend the law in order to impose their right-wing views on the rest of us.

It’s why we need to pass ethics legislation, and it’s why I remain at the forefront of this fight in the U.S. Senate.

I’m not going to back down on this. It’s why over a decade ago, before anyone was focused on this issue, I introduced legislation to require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of ethics.It’s a serious issue, and these conservative justices had the chance to regulate themselves. They failed, and now Congress needs to do its job.

Every best wish,

Chris Murphy

Chris is not afraid to speak truth to power or take on righteous fights. He’s one of our most effective leaders in the Senate, and he’s not done fighting for our shared progressive values. But first, Chris needs our help to win his reelection in 2024.

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