Today, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) denounced a new ethics rule passed by the Supreme Court in a statement entitled, “Supreme Court Ignores Conflict of Interest Amid Corrupt Presidency, Tax Dodging”.
The statement points out that the new code of conduct for Supreme Court justices not only ignores the conflicts of interest that may arise in the court’s work but also brushes aside the reality that President Donald Trump is engaged in many possible tax-dodging activities, such as operating shell companies and using LLC loopholes.
The Supreme Court often decides cases that have the potential to have monumental implications for the regulatory efficacy of the Executive Branch and other government offices. Without an ethics code in place to regulate justices’ decisions, the court has limited transparency and accountability in the form of a mechanism that could protect against decisions being corrupted by partisan motives.
“The Court’s recently updated ethics code fails to take into account the unprecedented ethicalradar surrounding President Trump and his administration,” Schumer said in the statement. “It is essential for the Supreme Court to recognize that America is facing a historic challenge when it comes to the need to ensure that the public can trust this institution.”
He continued to point out how President Trump is allegedly engaged in tax-dodging activities and is being investigated for possible criminal offenses and that no private sector executive would be allowed to avoid taxes like that. Schumer emphasized the need for the Court to take into account the possibility of potential conflicts of interest and to hold justices accountable.
Schumer also proposed for the Supreme Court to institute an independent vetting process to ensure that the justices remain unbiased in their decisions. He concluded the statement saying that while the Supreme Court is an important pillar of our democracy, it should lead by example in setting high ethical and debatable standards.
Though the Court responded with a statement indicating that its rules have already been updated to include reporting of gifts received from government officials, Schumer maintains that this is not enough. He has called for a stronger system of ethical standards and rules that takes into consideration the unprecedented ethical environment. Whether the Supreme Court will heed his advice remains to be seen.