Toward court reform

Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have introduced a bipartisan bill to require the Supreme Court to create a new code of conduct for itself after ProPublica revealed that conservative Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose luxury trips he accepted from Texas billionaire Harlan Crow.

The bill would require the Supreme Court to implement a code of conduct within one year of its enactment into law and publish the new code on its website so it’s available to the public.

It would further require the court to name an individual to handle any complaints of violations of the code and give the court authority to initiate investigations to determine if justices or staff have engaged in conduct affecting the administration of justice or violating federal laws or codes of conduct.

  MSN

Should that function be held by the court itself? I don't think so.

It would empower the court to draft its own code of conduct to preserve the separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches, thereby deflecting any criticism that members of Congress would be interfering in the court’s affairs.

And what if they don't? Or if they don't draft anything meaningful?

Murkowski said the legislation will address public concerns about the court’s impartiality amid its declining approval ratings.

It doesn't address my concerns very well.

King told The Hill that he will try to recruit more Republicans to support the bill and hasn’t yet begun discussing it with GOP colleagues other than Murkowski.

Good luck there, Angus.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) last week invited Chief Justice John Roberts to testify at the hearing, which Roberts declined.

In a letter responding to Durbin Tuesday, Roberts pointed out that members of the Supreme Court in 1991 “voluntarily adopted a resolution” to follow the “broadly worded” principles set out in the Judicial Conference’s code of conduct. The Judicial Conference is the policymaking body for the federal courts.

The new legislative proposal from King, who caucuses with Senate Democrats, and Murkowski, an influential Republican moderate, will put more pressure on Roberts to take action, senators say.

Good luck there, too.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE 05/05/2023: