Dear John,

The stakes are high, and the Supreme Court is under a microscope.

In the upcoming case, Moore v. United States, the very basis of taxation in the U.S. is at issue. A finding that agrees with the plaintiffs that their tax liability for income on stock in a foreign corporation is unconstitutional could throw our entire tax system into disarray.

Charles and Kathleen Moore argued in a lower court that $15,000 they owed in taxes on their foreign stock income was unconstitutional. The federal court ruled against them -- so they appealed, and the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.

If SCOTUS finds for the plaintiffs, the court could use this case to head off any new wealth tax Congress might pass on billionaires, including the proposed OLIGARCH Act, designed to “Oppose Limitless Inequality Growth and Reverse Community Harms” and other legislative proposals like Elizabeth Warren’s wealth tax.

With the legitimacy of the Supreme Court itself under scrutiny, now is the time to send the Court the message to dismiss Moore v. United States and let the lower court ruling stand. Sign the petition to keep up the pressure on the Court.

In Moore vs. the United States, new revelations have shown the Moores presented inaccurate information in their court filings. Mr. Moore claimed to have a passive ownership stake in KisanKraft, the foreign company at issue; however, recent reports indicate that in fact, he had a leadership role in the company and received travel expenses for their trip. The couple also made additional investments in the company that were not disclosed.

Whether these inaccuracies were a result of failed due diligence or deliberate omissions, either way, it’s clear the Moores are not casual philanthropists. They are big investors motivated by profits, who hid inconvenient facts from the courts.

The Supreme Court has historically shielded itself from public opinion, but the attention given to a range of current ethics scandals seems to be having an effect on the justices’ awareness of their legacy.

For the first time, Justice Clarence Thomas recused himself from a case involving a January 6 defendant: his former law clerk John Eastman’s attempt to withhold subpoenaed documents from the January 6 committee. It seems very likely that public pressure and scrutiny played a role in his decision.

Now it’s time to keep up the pressure. Sign the petition to demand that, based on the plaintiffs’ misrepresentation of material fact, the Court must dismiss Moore v. United States and let the lower court decision stand.

Thank you for demanding integrity and accountability from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action