WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday adopted its first code of ethics, in the face of sustained criticism over undisclosed trips and gifts from wealthy benefactors to some justices, but the code lacks a means of enforcement.
The policy, agreed to by all nine justices, does not appear to impose any significant new requirements and leaves compliance entirely to each justice.
Look, we don’t want to actually do anything about, we just want to make it look like we’re doing something about it.
Sure, let’s trust the blatantly corrupt judges to police themselves. They pinky swear they’ll hold each other accountable, and definitely won’t just completely ignore their own corruption time and time again.
They specifically created the “code” themselves because they knew it they didn’t, one would be imposed upon them eventually. Since they created their own “code”, they got to write the rules for it, including all the ‘loopholes’ they deliberately put in place, as well as the lack of enforcement provisions. This way they can continue just as they have been, but they can pretend they’re doing something about a situation they’ve been very happy with.
Exactly. It’s so blatantly obvious what they’ve done, yet they’re allowed to just keep going unimpeded.
An empty list sadly does meet the definition of a “code of ethics”
It will be written in big, bold letters. On the beach. At low tide.
Honest question. Everyone is upset because this code of conduct has no enforcement. I’m probably missing something, but is there any enforcement the supreme court can even do to themselves, without violating the constitution or something? They certainly can’t kick anyone off the court without an impeachment from congress. Are there other actions they can take?
If an entire branch of government has no interest in representing the people they’re charged with representing, and resist accountability - particularly after egregious corruption comes to light, they need to be removed.
Unless I’m mistaken, a removal attempt by the other branches of government will trigger a constitutional crisis, so populist solutions may be required.
