Justice Kagan Supports Panel to Enforce SCOTUS Code of Ethics

Over the last few years, there has been a big push to have an enforceable code of ethics on the Supreme Court.

This has largely come about over accusations made against Justice Clarence Thomas and “gifts” he received from a “friend.”

Chief Justice John Roberts published a code, which is more or less a regurgitation of the code in the lower courts, but Justice Elena Kagan would like to see it taken a step further.

Enforce the Rules

Kagan has endorsed the idea of there being a panel consisting of lower court judges that would enforce a code of conduct for the Supreme Court.

She recently doubled down on that idea, stating, “It seems like a good idea in terms of ensuring that we comply with our own code of conduct going forward in the future.

“It seems like a good idea in terms of ensuring that people have confidence that we’re doing exactly that.

“So, it seems like a salutary thing for the court.”

There is this perception that only Justice Thomas has been getting some tasty freebies, but rest assured, that is far from the case.

If you look at the reporting sheets of these justices, just about every one of them are living a lifestyle way above their paygrade thanks to donors.

This is all about Thomas not reporting something because he did not think he had to, but that aside, if you want that code, go ahead, just make sure that it is enforced across the board, and that would include on reported gifts.

I would like to see all these gifts stopped, to be perfectly honest, as I think an appointment on SCOTUS should be free an clear from any influence, reported or not.

Pay them all $1 million a year, then they can pay for their own trips rather than being given expensive trips by donors to their respective parties.

I always go back to a trip that was given to RBG to Israel by a man who had already had business on the court, where the decision benefitted him, which is not the case in the Thomas “scandal.”

Nobody said a word about that simply because RBG had the trip on her report, but the media should have made it a major hit on her.

And take a look at the past trips of former Justice Breyer, who had his hand out to everyone who was willing to give him a freebie.

Just make it fair and equal… that is all I am saying.

Oh, and just for the record, Kagan was atop the list of justices who received freebies in 2021 and 2022, having been reimbursed for eight trips, but I guess there is nothing to see there, right?