I’ve been trying to draw attention to the Supreme Court’s downward spiral for years. Yes, the Court is in shambles, but we can fortify it against corruption if we address the root causes. Here’s how we start ->
How to fix what’s wrong at SCOTUS? The capture of the Court was enabled by dark money – it funds judicial lobbying groups, moves cases through lower courts, & funds ads for the chosen justices. We can start with transparency: pass my DISCLOSE Act & expose that influence.
Without dark money, we’ll finally be able to see real conflicts of interest. Here’s where judicial ethics reform comes in, whether the justices do it themselves (fat chance) or Congress takes action via my Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, & Transparency Act.
My Ethics Act would require judges to be more transparent about conflicts of interest and who pays for travel/gifts. It also requires shadowy groups who lobby the Court via amicus briefs to disclose their actual funders, and imposes real recusal standards that are way overdue.
We have to treat the disease at SCOTUS. These common-sense reforms are necessary first steps for combatting special-interest power and restoring integrity at the Court.
