The SCOTUS Chronicles

[Thumpalumpacus]

The secret recording of conservative Justice Samuel Alito endorsing the idea that the country should return to a place of “godliness” has further plunged the Supreme Court into controversy, evoking outrage from Senate Democrats and forcing Republicans to play defense.

Senate Democrats are firing off new salvos of criticism at Alito — and at Chief Justice John Roberts for not reining in his conservative colleague — after he appeared to endorse the idea that the nation should embrace Christian principles and failed to distance himself from his wife’s outspoken hostility to a neighbor’s gay pride flag.

“Alito is an extremist who is out of touch with mainstream America. His rising power on the Supreme Court is a threat to our democracy,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said.

Warren is one of many Democrats who think Alito is bringing a partisan political agenda to the bench, and they’re highlighting it whenever they can ahead of November’s election.

“I am most concerned about the appearance that Justice Alito has prejudged cases that will come before him. That is one of the biggest sins that a judge or justice can commit, and his willingness to align so publicly in the middle of a hotly contested political battle is deeply worrisome,” Warren said.

“It undermines whatever last shreds of credibility the Supreme Court might have had,” she said.

[...]

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters Tuesday that Democrats will try to advance Supreme Court ethics reform legislation on the Senate floor this week.

“We’re planning on making a move on the floor this week to move the ethics bill for the Supreme Court by unanimous consent,” he said.

The Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act, which is sponsored by Whitehouse and Durbin, would require the Supreme Court to adopt a binding code of conduct and create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code and other laws.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4716...eme-court/