The watchdog group Accountable.us & Rep Hank Johson (D-GA) issued a letter calling for #ClarenceThomas’s #recusal from the #Oklahoma case because of his ties to Nicole Garnett, the #NotreDame #law prof, who helped shepherd it.

But unlike #AmyConeyBarrett, Thomas did not #recuse.

Garnett was a clerk for Thomas in the late 1990s & has maintained a close relationship w/ him, which Accountable & Johnson say call into question his objectivity in the case.

#law #SCOTUS #ethics

#Alito continues to own individual #stock in >2 dozen companies — a practice that is permitted, but that #transparency advocates caution can lead to conflicts of interest that require #recusal from key cases. The justice reported owning stock in Abbott Laboratories, Boeing & ConocoPhillips, among several other companies.

Chief Justice #JohnRoberts is the only other member of #SCOTUS who owns individual stocks; most other justices invest in mutual funds.

#law #ethics

“I just think judges are not so afraid of us. I think there are plenty of judges around this country who could do a task like that in a very fair-minded & serious way” #Kagan said.

Kagan was expanding on her recent suggestion that Chief Justice #JohnRoberts appoint an outside panel of highly experienced judges to review allegations of wrongdoing or #recusal decisions by the justices, some of whom face questions over unreported gifts & conflicts of interest in key cases.

#SCOTUS #ethics #law

“Relatedly, it is disgraceful that Justices #ClarenceThomas & #Alito brazenly refused to recuse themselves from this case. As I’ve said before, the appearance of impropriety or partiality require recusal. Until Chief Justice #JohnRoberts uses his existing authority to enact an enforceable code of conduct, I will continue to push to pass the #SupremeCourt #Ethics, #Recusal, & #Transparency Act.”

#SCOTUS #law #Trump #immunity #Senate #judiciary #Durbin

"Compliance with governing law and public respect for the integrity of the Court’s process require this result."

Lavorca goes on to say he speaks as someone who has been been a member of the bar of the Court for over 50 years, appearing frequently before the Court. He concludes,

"Your refusal to recuse yourself taints the process and inevitably will undermine confidence in the Court’s decision on the merits."

#Alito #SupremeCourt #recusal
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