Like a tempest brewing in a teacup, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., known for his advocacy of U.S. Supreme Court ethics standards, penned a stern letter to Chief Justice John Roberts. The cause of the turbulence? An ethics complaint against Justice Samuel Alito over purported breaches in “several canons of judicial ethics.”
The Catalyst: Gifts, Trips, and an Eye-Opening Interview
Barely a moment after Democrats and the media spotlighted Justices Alito and Clarence Thomas for accepting gifts and embarking on questionable journeys, Whitehouse’s complaint emerged. The crux of this challenge pertains to Alito’s remarks in a Wall Street Journal interview, questioning Congress’s authority over the high court. Intriguingly, these statements surfaced shortly after the Senate Judiciary Committee greenlit Whitehouse’s initiative for a Supreme Court ethics code.
Whitehouse argued passionately, “Justice Alito and his peers on the Supreme Court assured the Senate Judiciary Committee during their confirmation that weighing in on potential court matters would be ‘improper’. Yet, here we are.” His contention implies that such comments could potentially bolster legal objections if the ethics bill transforms into law.
The Interviewers: Potential Conflicts on the Horizon?
Adding another layer to this complex tapestry, the interview, nestled in the opinion section, was orchestrated by attorney David B. Rivkin Jr. and James Taranto, editor at the Wall Street Journal. Rivkin’s association with plaintiffs of an upcoming major tax case at the court and his representation of Leonard Leo, under Senate investigation for an opulent fishing voyage with Justice Alito, raises eyebrows.
