The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-10 to advance legislation that would create a code of ethics for Supreme Court justices. The bill advanced on party lines, with 11 Democrats voting for the bill and 10 Republicans voting against. It is not expected to get the 60 votes required to advance on the Senate floor – and even if it did, it would also likely fail in the GOP-controlled House. Democrats have been pushing for a check on justices who violate ethics norms since a Pro Publica report revealed that Justice Clarence Thomas had accepted vacations and travel from a Republican mega donor. However, Senate Republicans have called this bill a partisan attack on the court’s conservative justices, and argued that Congress is overstepping by trying to make rules for a co-equal branch of government. “To be against ethics is not smart, it’s not right. It’s basically a betrayal of our democracy,” said Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who argued that Republican opposition to this bill could hurt them in the polls. “This issue shouldn’t be partisan,” he said. “It’s up to Chief Justice Roberts,” said Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, who added that the bill would never become law. “We’ve got three branches of government, and the court can tend to this. This is not our place,” she said. The House would likely block the bill, calling it a “messaging bill” and noting that the House would block it evenif it got through the Senate. “All the disclosures about lavish vacation gifts, travel, it goes on and on,” said Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois. “Failing to disclose this to the public has left a bitter taste in the mouth of most Americans about the Supreme Court.” “This is not a partisan issue,” said Sen. Blumenthal, who said that the American people have a low opinion of the court after the allegations of ethical misconduct by Thomas and Alito. “The Supreme Court has to be answerable to someone,” he added. “And as we said in the press conference we did yesterday, we’ve got 3 branches ofGovernment, and we’vegot 3 Supreme Court Justices,” said GOP Sen.Marsha Blackburn, who also argued that the court should be able to make its own rules. “I think we’re in the right place,” said Blumenthal, “and I think it’s a good thing that we’re all in this together. We’re not in a position to try to legislate ethics for the other judges,” said Blackburn, adding that Congress can prescribe ethical codes for other branches of the government for other judges. “There are hundreds of them that abide by ethical rules made for them and required of them by the U.S. Congress,” he noted. “They’re the judges of the United States Congress,” Blumenthal said, referring to other judges who abide by ethics rules made by Congress. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill this week. It would not become law, however.
Senate Judiciary Committee advances Supreme Court ethics bill on party lines. Senate panel advances bill on bipartisan basis. Bill would require Supreme Court justices to answer questions about their actions.
