|
Hi,
The New York Times has uncovered another Supreme Court ethics scandal, and it's a doozy.
A little-known charity connected to the Court called the Supreme Court Historical Society has been raising millions from right-wing special interests with major cases before the justices — and none of it was disclosed to the public before now.
Chevron gave $190,000 while the Supreme Court considered countless major cases on global warming and the environment. UPS gave more than half a million as the justices were considering a pregnancy discrimination suit against the company. A corporate lawyer who advocated on behalf of Purdue Pharma, the notorious manufacturers of OxyContin, gave $187,500.1
And what did they get in exchange for their generosity? Direct access to the justices, including invitations to black-tie dinners, lectures, and other events.
The Supreme Court Historical Society scandal broke almost a month ago, and Chief Justice John Roberts and the other justices haven't said a word about it. No investigation, no accountability, no talk of reform. Nothing.
The Supreme Court Historical Society is ostensibly devoted to preserving and explaining the Court’s history. It claims to be independent from the Supreme Court, but its offices are around the corner, and then Chief Justice Warren Burger served as its honorary chairman when it was founded in 1974.2
Since then, it has raised $25 million without any rules or regulations for reporting, transparency, or conflicts of interest.
The New York Times report was able to trace a little less than half of the donations that have been made to the charity, and almost two-thirds came from parties that regularly do business before the Court.
Anti-LGBTQ groups. Wall Street banks, like Goldman Sachs. Anti-abortion lobbyists. Big Cable. Facebook.
They all gave, they all had cases before the Court, and many of them won.
The nine justices of the Supreme Court are appointed for life, and despite their virtually unchecked power, there are no rules regarding when they must recuse themselves or even reveal potential conflicts of interest. Without ethical standards, justices don't have to recuse themselves when they have a conflict of interest or even disclose such conflicts.3
At a time when the Supreme Court is in the process of gutting decades of precedent on voting rights, abortion rights, civil rights, and countless other major issues affecting Americans' lives, Congress must finally take action and impose a code of ethics on the justices.
With gratitude for all you do,
Tihi and the team at Demand Progress Action
Sources:
1. The New York Times, "A Charity Tied to the Supreme Court Offers Donors Access to the Justices," January 1, 2023.
2. Supreme Court Historical Society, "The Society's Mission," accessed January 24, 2023.
3. Brennan Center for Justice, "Brennan Center Urges Supreme Court Justices to Adopt a Code of Ethics," September 24, 2019.
PAID FOR BY DEMAND PROGRESS (DemandProgress.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Join our online community on Facebook or Twitter.
You can unsubscribe from this list at any time.