Can somebody please explain to me

[choie]

how it isn't extraordinarily unethical, not to mention a violation of the separation of powers, for Trump to have influenced Kennedy to retire (and Kennedy to have such a relationship with Trump?) and why there's no outrage? For reference:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/politics/trump-anthony-kennedy-retirement.html?action=click&module=Trending&pgtype=Article&region=Footer&contentCollection=Trending

[dameatball]

1. Of course it is. But who is going to investigate it? The ethics chief he appointed?

I think he was appointed by Trump. I believe it is not the same person that served under Obama. I could be wrong.

[lagomorph777]

3. No, Obama's former ethics guy is vocally anti-Trump.

[dameatball]

5. Right. I was pretty sure he was not still in the position. Thanks. I don't know who it is now.

My point was it probably is not anyone that would pursue a Trump ethics violation.

[unblock]

2. I don't have a problem with pointing out the politics of a replacement to urge a justice to retire

But everything else that's been talked about is a big ethical problem. Anything that looks like a bribe or inducement to retire is unethical if not outright illegal. And the business ties the families have is problematic as well.

[NCTraveler]

4. Appearances mean a lot.

The appearance of impropriety requires people to listen/read. The appearance of an 81 year old man retiring requires no understanding outside of that.

Our leaders should be a part of the listening/reading group. The American people, not so much.

[Wounded Bear]

6. IOKIYAR...

[dameatball]

7. I have no problem with an 81 year old retiring. The hiring of new law clerks and the timing before

the midterm elections when Dems may very well regain some control is what smells.

[FBaggins]

8. Most of that line of inquiry is probably imaginary

Is the son of a supreme court justice not supposed to take a high-profile job because many years later someone he works with could become president? Was Trump supposed to be ineligible for the WH because he used to bank with someone who is related to a SC justice? His sister sits on the 3rd circuit court too... would that be disqualifying? What should a SC justice do if a new president once had a business relationship with his son? NOT retire when he's in his 80s because someone might think there was undue influence?

This is really all stages-of-grief nonsense. It's highly unlikely that anyone influenced Kennedy's decision. If they had such influence, he would have stepped aside a year ago. Suddenly we're supposed to believe that an octogenarian Republican justice actually WANTED to hang around until a Democrat could replace him but was "influenced" to do otherwise?

[choie]

9. Kennedy's son had a business relationship with Trump

Kennedy should have recused himself from deciding cases that the Trump administration had before the court.

[bluestarone]

10. absolutely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FBaggins]

11. That doesn't make sense... and in fact is contradictory

Virtually all consequential supreme court cases involve an argument from the administration. If he had to recuse himself from such cases... he would have had to retire right after the inauguration... yet the point of these threads is how we didn't want him to retire?

However - the argument is false. He might have to recuse himself from cases involving his son's business (SCOTUS judges decide for themselves when they should recuse themselves)... but that would be the case anyway. If there's no current business relationship then there's no conflict.

[First Speaker]

12. LBJ twisted Arthur Goldberg's arm to the breaking point to get him off the bench...

...and into the UN position. To the detriment of Goldberg, and ultimately us all. Alas, Mr Goldberg didn't just tell LBJ to fuck off. There's hardly anything new in this...