Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
July 29, 2021
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) on Wednesday introduced the Supreme Court Ethics Act requiring the Judicial Conference of the United States to create a code of ethical conduct for the Supreme Court of the United States. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with 15 other Senate Democrats, co-sponsored the legislation in the U.S. Senate.
Murphy introduced the measure in the U.S. Senate and Johnson introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Both members of Congress said judicial ethics ought to be a nonpartisan issue.
“If we care about good governance, we should also care about holding our Supreme Court justices to a code of conduct that bolsters the neutrality and transparency of our courts. I’m reintroducing legislation that requires the Judicial Conference to create a code of ethics for Supreme Court justices. This will help us reverse some of the dangerous politicization of the Supreme Court that we’ve seen in the past, and build public trust in the independence and integrity of the highest court,” said Murphy.
“The Supreme Court doesn’t command an army or a police force – its power rests in the American people’s belief in its independence and integrity. The far right’s politicization of the Court has eroded this sacred public trust. No Justice, any more than a federal judge, should advance a partisan cause or sit on a case involving a personal friend or interest. This legislation will preserve public trust and confidence – the lifeblood of the Supreme Court,” said Blumenthal.
“Unlike all federal judges, Supreme Court Justices are not required to follow the Code of Conduct for United States judges – a binding code of ethics that ensures neutrality and transparency in our judiciary,” said Johnson, a former county magistrate judge. “The Supreme Court Ethics Act would change that by requiring the Judicial Conference of the United States to create a code of ethics, binding the Justices of the Supreme Court to common-sense standards that have applied to federal judges for decades. This kind of basic reform would make our government more accountable and transparent to the American people.”
The language of the bill is also part of the historic House Democratic legislative package H.R. 1 and S. 1 – a bold, transformative set of reforms to strengthen democracy and return political power to the people by making it easier, not harder to vote; end the dominance of big money in politics; and ensure officials work for the public interest.
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