Rehnquist Orders Study After Scalia Flap

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON (AP) --

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist has ordered a study of federal judicial ethics, a move that follows intense criticism of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia for taking a hunting trip with his friend, Vice President Dick Cheney.

A six-member committee appointed by Rehnquist will begin meeting next month, about the time the Supreme Court is expected to rule in a case involving Cheney that generated much of the criticism. Rehnquist named Justice Stephen Breyer, a Clinton appointee, to chair the panel.

Supreme Court justices decide for themselves if they have conflicts of interest, and their decisions are final. Separately, a law allows complaints to be lodged alleging federal judges have engaged in ‘‘conduct prejudicial to the effective and expeditious administration of the business of the courts."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., told judicial leaders at a private meeting this spring that they were not adequately disciplining their colleagues.

‘‘I decided that the best way to see if there are any real problems is to have a committee look into it," Rehnquist said Tuesday through a court spokesman.

more…
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/8757788.htm?1c

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

It took him a while to buy up a committee, he ran out of vowels

I guess.

[aquart]

1. Time to find out what they are?

Yes, William. Way past time.

BTW, William? I hope every day is a screaming, anguished agony of pain.

May you never sleep.

[maddezmom]

2. hope he remembers his own trip to OH

IIRC, he flew on a private plane owned by an Energy Group...could be in the article(didn't read). :)

[Just Me]

3. Okay. I'll accept that. n/t

[Mike Niendorff]

4. My response to Rehnquist's newfound concerns:

Bush v. Gore

Enough said.


MDN

[harrison]

5. Don't get me started on the mf political whores who make up

the Supreme Court. Aside from Bush v Gore, which incalculable damage to the court, Scalia should be removed from the bench. Any third year law student knows that a judge should avoid impropriety or the appearance of impropriety and that going hunting with a party in a case he was going to hear was beyond all bounds.

I hate what these bastards have done to our institutions.

Basically, what needs to happen is that these people need to have their collective asses whipped.

[Tellurian]

6. Rehnquist's weak attempt to dispel the fear, an ethic of service...

is at war with a craving for gain?

Spare us the charade at taxpayer expense..

Turn in your racing stripes.

You were outed long ago.

[tabasco]

7. Rehnquist has assured his place in American history.

CORRUPT ! An unethical and partisan justice who put the interests of his friends and himself above those of the Nation. Future generations of students will read about Rehnquist in a chapter entitled "What Went Wrong in the Early 21st Century." Rehnquist is a traitor to democracy and should be reviled by those who love freedom.

[Democat]

8. The report will probably list alleged abuse by the "liberal" justices

They are probably just going to put out a press release with an attack on the non right-wing judges to try to make Scalia look good.

[crossroads]

9. No doubt!!!

:mad:

[dusty64]

10. sounds like they

may be concerned of the strong possibility of a Democratic President being able to nominate soon. Why else they sudden concern for extreme corruption.

[Toots]

11. Is this some weird attempt to regain their lost credibility?

I'm sure even in their isolated bubble they live in they know they are no longer perceived as impartial justices. It has to bother some of them just a little. I have zero respect for five members of the Supreme Court but yet tremendous respect for the other four. I wish there were some way to purge the filth and corruption that has overtaken our judicial system. They are there for life. That needs to be changed.

[bobbieinok]

12. I remember 12-12-00 - read Thomas and Scalia had conflict of interest

Thomas - wife was working for W's transition team

Scalia - 1 son was partner in firm that argued W's side before FL supreme court; another son was partner in Ted Olsen's law firm - Olsen argued W side before SCOTUS.

Read at the time that there is a fed judiciary law that no fed judge is to hear a case in which member of the immediate family has an interest in one of the parties.