Letter to the Editor: Supreme Court needs its own code of ethics

FILE - Members of the Supreme Court pose for a group portrait following the addition of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, at the Supreme Court building in Washington, Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. Bottom row, from left, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito, and Justice Elena Kagan. Top row, from left, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson | Photo by J. Scott Applewhite, The Associated Press, St. George News

OPINION — Americans are losing faith in our Supreme Court, and it’s easy to see why.

The nine justices on the Supreme Court are the only federal judges not bound by a code of ethics. It’s up to the justices to self-police on ethical issues, and they want to keep it that way.

That’s why nothing happened when Clarence Thomas didn’t recuse himself from Jan. 6 (Capitol Riot) cases that could have directly implicated his wife. That’s why nothing happened when America found out Samuel Alito more than likely leaked a decision about reproductive health care to anti-abortion activists.

And that’s why nothing happened when it was revealed that Chief Justice John Roberts’ wife has earned millions of dollars recruiting for law firms with business before the Supreme Court.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Congress has a duty to act as a check on the Supreme Court and restore faith in our judicial system. They can do that by creating a code of ethics for the Supreme Court.

The highest court in the land should be held to the highest standard. It’s time to demand that Congress hold the Supreme Court accountable.

Submitted by ANNETTE WILLIAMSON, St. George

Letters to the Editor are not the product of St. George News, its editors, staff or news contributors. The matters stated and opinions given are the responsibility of the person submitting them. They do not reflect the product or opinion of St. George News and are given only light edit for technical style and formatting.

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